Gothia Cup · Celebrate
Jättestenskolan Wins Plate Challenge – Leading the Way Against Food Waste
During Gothia Cup, the quest for victory has not only been decided on the football fields. In school cafeterias across Gothenburg, thousands of players have also participated in the Plate Challenge. This competition aims to reduce food waste by encouraging participants to take only as much food as they can actually eat.
When the week was summed up, Jättestenskolan was crowned the winner of this year’s Plate Challenge. As a reward, the school received the trophy for the competition, while all participants were treated to chips from Estrella.
The Plate Challenge is part of Gothia Cup’s sustainability initiative, Celebrate the Planet, with the ambition of reducing the tournament’s carbon footprint while inspiring young players to adopt more sustainable habits.
A competition that engaged.
Throughout the week, all food waste from the participating schools was weighed, and the results were continuously presented on a leaderboard. The school that left the least food on the plates claimed victory.
Angel Andinsson, who works in the kitchen at Jättestenskolan, has closely followed the competition.
– It has been good. It has gone well even though there have been many different languages and teams from other countries. It has been fun, and I'm glad that they pay attention and that we can get along with all the teams, he says.
Habits that follow home.
The goal of the Plate Challenge has not only been to reduce food waste during the tournament week, but also to inspire the players to adopt new habits at home.
One of the players who participated in the competition is Kilian Leonardsson from IFK Haninge.
– I think it’s good because then you don’t throw away so much food. It’s better for the world, he says.
When asked if he will continue to think about food waste at home, the answer is clear.
– I will take this habit home because I don’t want to waste food unnecessarily.
Small actions – big difference.
During Gothia Cup, hundreds of thousands of meals are served. When thousands of players choose appropriately sized portions together, the impact is significant – both through reduced food waste and a lower carbon footprint.
This year's Plate Challenge concluded with Jättestenskolan as the winner, but the most significant gain may very well be the new habits that participants take home after the tournament.
For just like on the football field, it is the many small efforts together that make the biggest difference.
