During October, the initiative engaged restaurants, catering professionals, organizations, agri-food companies, volunteers, and the public with the aim of preventing food loss and waste and raising awareness about the value of food. Key activities included Gastrorecup meals, the 6th 'Marató d'espigolades' (gleaning marathon), the Gran Dinar d’Aprofitament (Great Use-it-Up Lunch) in Cervera, and Gastrorecup Solidari (Solidarity Gastrorecup).
The Gastrorecup meals saw record participation with over 100 restaurants. These establishments served 3,009 meals prepared with 15,828 kg of recovered food that was excluded from commercial circuits due to aesthetic reasons or surplus. As a new initiative, Gastrorecup Solidari provided 168 meals at the Santa Anna Hospital de Campanya in Barcelona using 254.7 kg of recovered food.
The 6th 'Marató d’espigolades', postponed due to rain, took place across six gleaning events in Mont-roig del Camp, Granollers, Ivars d’Urgell, Sant Pere Pescador, Mataró, and Sant Feliu de Llobregat. It mobilized 139 volunteers and recovered 4,964 kg of fruit and vegetables, preventing the loss of 21,831 portions and saving 853.32 kg of CO₂.
The Gran Dinar d’Aprofitament, held in Cervera's Plaça Major, gathered 308 people for meals prepared from 981 kg of recovered food, thanks to the collaboration of 35 volunteers and local chefs. This event contributed to saving 938.4 kg of CO₂ equivalent.
Overall, the 'Aprofitem els Aliments 2026' activities recovered 21,773.7 kg of food and served 3,485 meals. The environmental and economic savings amount to 58,800 kg of CO₂eq, 100,852,000 liters of water, and 37,763 euros. The campaign is part of the Strategic Plan for the Prevention of Food Losses and Waste in Catalonia 2026-2030.
