Members of the FEAD Network came together last week to discuss the selection of food items for distribution.

© Ecorys

90 delegates from 21 countries joined the meeting in Brussels to share their knowledge and experience in this area.

The day’s meeting was opened by Maria-Mihaela Armanu from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) with a presentation on EU policies on nutrition.

Exchange of ideas

Delegates at the event heard from a range of speakers on food selection, and took part in a series of workshops.

Topics in the first workshops by colleagues from Belgium and Estonia focused on the challenges of

• putting together a high-quality, low-cost food parcel
• how to ensure recipients have a balance between health and enjoyment.

In the second workshop, delegates had the chance to hear from projects that work to ensure recipients gain the knowledge skills to make the most out of their food parcels. The group heard from projects in Poland and Latvia that use accompanying measures to run cookery classes.

FEAD evaluation and research

Following the presentation from DG SANTE, Constanza Pagnini from Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini, Italy informed delegates that a public consultation is currently open to assess the ways in which the Fund is helping to alleviate poverty symptoms across Europe.

Finally, Stefan Storcksdieck of the European Commission Joint Research Centre presented a perspective on ‘Scientific and nutritional aspects of food programmes’ and ‘Public Procurement of Food for Health’.

The meeting was the fourth event that aims to support the exchange of experience, capacity-building and networking among organisations implementing FEAD-related activities.