Behind Every Bite approached sustainability through familiar situations such as cooking, eating, and shopping. Rather than presenting sustainability as an abstract concept, the campaign focused on how everyday food choices are shaped by ingredients, processing techniques, and preparation methods.

A central campaign output was a digital recipe book, developed in collaboration with a registered dietitian and a professional vegan chef. Structured as “5 Days of Easy, Sustainable Recipes for Your Week”, the publication presented practical examples of how plant-based, minimally processed foods can be integrated into daily diets. The resource attracted significant interest, with 555 downloads of the Spanish version and 65 downloads of the English version — 620 downloads in total — reflecting engagement across different audiences.

The recipe book was complemented by a series of culinary videos, produced by the chef Juan Asensio de Cárdenas (@veggi_juan), showing step-by-step preparation of selected dishes. These videos demonstrated that sustainable meals can be prepared easily and affordably, and reached more than 27,000 views on YouTube, with additional visibility across digital platforms.

Communicating food science in accessible terms

A key objective of the campaign was to explain food science concepts in a way that remained accurate while being understandable for non-specialist audiences. This was achieved through targeted collaborations with science communicators and content creators.

In particular, @midietacojea, a dietitian-nutritionist and science communicator, developed educational video content focusing on fermentation and germination. These processes, which are central to Sustain-a-Bite’s approach to smart food processing, were explained in relation to their effects on taste, digestibility, nutritional quality, and sustainability. The content translated scientific principles into practical explanations connected to everyday food consumption, reaching nearly 30,000 views and generating 910 interactions.

In parallel, @larubiavegana, a digital content creator specialising in vegan cuisine, contributed recipe-based content inspired by the campaign recipe book. Her video presented a Quinoa Bibimbap-style dish, illustrating how simple plant-based ingredients can be combined into balanced, appealing, and sustainable meals. Together, these collaborations helped link food science concepts with real cooking practices, increasing accessibility and relevance for wider audiences.

Engaging consumers through direct interaction

Beyond digital communication, Behind Every Bite placed strong emphasis on direct engagement with citizens through in-person activities. Universities across several European countries hosted information stands, lectures, and interactive sessions, coordinated primarily by the Green Bites Team.

These activities took place in institutions such as the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and the University of Navarra in Spain, IBA Bucharest in Romania, the University of Vaasa in Finland, the Bern University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland, the University of Novi Sad in Serbia, and RISE – Research Institutes of Sweden. Topics discussed included food labels, dietary patterns, processing methods, and sustainability, with formats adapted to each local context.

Several of these activities were delivered in collaboration with the sister project PLANTOMYC, helping extend the campaign’s reach across educational and research environments in Europe.

In addition, Street Talks were conducted in Madrid to engage around 50 consumers in everyday urban settings such as markets, areas outside supermarkets, and high-footfall public spaces. Using an interactive “myth or reality” format, these conversations addressed common assumptions about plant-based and minimally processed foods, while also providing valuable qualitative insights into consumer perceptions and information needs.

Insights from the Behind Every Bite campaign

The Behind Every Bite campaign showed that communicating food sustainability is most effective when scientific knowledge is combined with practical, everyday examples. By using recipes, cooking demonstrations, short-form videos, expert-led explanations, and direct conversations with citizens, the campaign helped connect food science and processing concepts with daily food choices.

The experience also highlighted the importance of clear, evidence-based communication and active listening when engaging consumers. These insights will guide future communication and dissemination activities within Sustain-a-Bite, supporting its broader objective of contributing to healthier and more sustainable food systems across Europe.