Dishes to nourish children

Since its inception in 2016, the campaign gained the participation of food establishments and food enthusiasts in concocting special meals called the ‘charity dishes’ for their product list.

Malnutrition affects 33.4 percent or four million Filipino children under five years old, according to the latest survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology. The numbers, which unfortunately have increased, made the Philippines the ninth nation with the highest number of malnourished children.

“Malnutrition is a result of lack of food or food insecurity. The causes are diverse,” said Guy Halsey, country director for Action Against Hunger (AAH) in the Philippines. “We’re looking at the four main causes; poverty, lack of livelihood, diseases and epidemics (outbreak of measles and dengue), natural disasters and conflict.”

“But unfortunately, these factors are all present in the Philippines,” he observed.

Malnutrition is a form of hunger that means people don’t have enough food to eat but also their lack of access to it which causes them to not develop physically and mentally the same way that healthy people should.

LOVE Food Give Food Ambassadors Jac and Rolando Laudico.

“Malnutrition is a medical condition that needs to be treated. In the Philippines, chronic malnutrition is extremely high. This has a huge impact on people’s lives. In AAH, we try to focus on the first 1,000 days. If you don’t treat malnutrition in the first thousand days, it will affect people, on their physical and mental development for the rest of their lives,” Halsey said.

AAH is an international humanitarian organization originating from France that helps malnourished children while providing them access to safe water and sustainable solutions to hunger. “We work to address both the causes and effects of hunger and malnutrition is one of its main effects. We also address its underlying causes,” he explained.

AAH recently launched its campaign Love Food Give Food, which was previously known as Restaurants Against Hunger. Since its inception in 2016, the campaign gained the participation of food establishments and food enthusiasts in concocting special meals called the ‘charity dishes’ for their product list.

CHEF Robby Goco and his Kare-kare Rice with Binagoongang Tokwa.

“Unlike its previous version, Love Food Give Food is not only limited to restaurants. We hope to get the support of all types of food establishments; food kiosks, bakeries, cafés, carinderias and even home-based online food vendors,” said Fundraising and Resource Development Manager Dale Nelson Divinagracia.

A portion of the sales of the ‘charity dishes’ will be donated to the projects of AAH. “This year, we also made it possible for people to directly donate to Action Against Hunger. Some food establishments will have donation boxes in their premises,” Divinagracia added.

The establishments that have confirmed their participation are: Alba, Baker & Cook, Buffalo Wild Wings, Bulgogi Brothers, Café Mediterranean, Chef Laudico OK Café, Chelsea Kitchen, Chotto Matte, The Coconut Club, Corner Tree Café, Cyma, D’ Doux Cafe & Patisserie, D’Kada Cafe & Bistro, Denny’s, Fish & Co., Friends & Family, Gallery by Chele, Green Pastures, Holy Grill, Italianni’s, Izakaya Sensu, Kabila, Kats Happy Food, Krazy Garlic, La Petite Fromagerie, The Lost Bread, Modern Shanghai, Mom & Tina’s Bakery Café Providore, Plank, Saboten, Sunkissed Café, Terraz, Texas Roadhouse, TGIFridays and Village Tavern.

Another campaign under Love Food Give Food is the 100 for 5 Challenge where participants are asked to create a nutritious and delicious meal while staying within the family budget. The campaign period is from 1 October until 1 December.

“The campaign is very easy to implement, it doesn’t entail much cost and it unites the business staff and customers for a cause,” concluded Divinagracia.

To know more about Love Food Give Food and 100 for 5 Challenge, visit www.lovefoodgivefoodphilippines.org.