The Papatoetoe Food Hub welcomed members of the South Auckland community at the end of last year to dine on delicious food at an affordable price.

On 15 December we had our first community lunch at the Papatoetoe Food Hub which involved offering delicious food at an affordable price to more than 150 members of the community and stakeholders came along to try the range of Indian, Pasifika and Māori inspired cuisine, created by local members of the community.

Michelle Potoru was one of the local community members who helped prepare food for the event.

She says all the food that was created for the event was based on traditional cultural fare but prepared with a healthy twist.

“What made this event so great was being able to showcase our traditional food but also show healthier ways of preparing these dishes.”

Healthy Families South Auckland Manager George Makapatama says the community day is part of a wider work to connect with the local community and provide opportunities to showcase the local cultures and skills.

“An event like this is about celebrating the rich diversity of South Auckland through the local cuisine and has the potential to begin the process of embedding comprehensive change in the community which can enable healthier environments.

There was also an opportunity to collect ideas from attendees on the Open Day, which will further inform how we shape the work we do, ensuring we are delivering our communities’ aspirations for the Papatoetoe Food Hub. This feedback has already helped us plan our activities for the coming year with a calendar of activities including cooking classes and demonstrations, composting and upcycle workshops, and other food related courses and events,” says Makapatama.

“All these initiatives will not only enhance what we are doing at the Papatoetoe Food Hub but also increases the capacity of the local community so that behaviour change becomes embedded in the region.”