This year, I'm taking on my first three ultramarathons, circling the three largest Bavarian lakes. With this challenge, I want to support a worthy cause: with your help, I aim to save three meals for every kilometre I run, which will be donated to those in need.
A third of all food ends up in the trash, and every day, 72,000 servings of hot meals are thrown away in Czech cafeterias. Thankfully, there’s the organization Zachraň jídlo (Save Food), which is working to reduce these numbers by redirecting food to those who lack it. And it’s their project, Obědovka(Save the Lunch), that I want to support with my runs.
Over the past few years, I’ve saved more than 120 meals using the Too Good to Go app. However, I’m aware that a hot meal can be even more meaningful to people facing hardship. Let’s work together to add more meals to the tens of thousands already saved and help those who need it most!
🟢 Why Obědovka?
It’s wasteful and inefficient to throw away perfectly good food when someone else could benefit from it.
It directly helps people in difficult situations.
Food waste is also closely linked to other pressing issues, such as massive waste production and methane emissions from organic matter.
Out of respect for the energy, human effort, animal lives, and everything else involved in producing food.
I appreciate that Zachraň jídlo focuses not only on immediate solutions like saving meals but also on driving essential legislative changes.
🟢 How does it all work?
The saved food consists of uneaten portions from Czech cafeterias. The money raised funds the entire process of transporting the food from the kitchens to those in need, covering costs like transportation, containers, and courier work. The project is also expanding with these funds – building partnerships with more businesses and developing a mobile app to streamline the entire process. Support goes to shelters, homeless individuals, the Salvation Army, and other similar organizations.
🟢 Why this project?
Because running brings me joy, and shared joy is even better.
To bring a smile to a stranger’s face and fill their stomach.
I want to make an impact at the local level.
Together, we can accomplish much more than we could alone.
Inspired by those around me, I want to inspire others to step outside their comfort zones.
🟢 About the Lake Challenge
This project began at the start of the year, when my running calendar was relatively empty. So, I decided to fill it with the Iron Lakes Challenge, aiming to run around the ten largest lakes in the region. Since I’m currently studying in Munich, this means running around Bavaria’s top 10 lakes. Only the three largest lakes remain, which constitute this project.
Finished 🔥 circumnavigation of Lake Chiemsee on Saturday brings the running part of this challenge to an end. With cloudy weather and 4 degrees at the start, this run was a very different experience and a real challenge. It was quite crazy to be honest and I only got to see the lake for the first time after 26km. But 52km completed in about 6 and a half hours and all 10 largest lakes of Bavaria now encircled! Many thanks for the support, it really pushed me through, especially in the second half.
Super grateful for all the lunches you saved together with this project 🙏 we are now 5% away from the target of 3 meals per kilometre and I think this is truly amazing and beautiful.
The second ultramarathon of this challenge, 50km around the Starnberger See, completed during the weekend 💪 after a foggy start, most of the run was filled with sunshine and there were thankfully no major issues along the way, the mood was mostly cheerful thanks to the views and pleasant conditions. Many thanks for saving 225 portions of food together, you're all awesome! Next up is Chiemsee Lake, also known as the "Bavarian sea".
Create campaign
Zachraň jídlo, z.s.
Thousands of people in shelters do not have an access to nutritious meals. Yet even one full plate can change a day for the better. Project Save the Lunch prevents food waste while helping people in need. By supporting the project, you'll help us deliver unissued lunches from company cafeterias to those in need in social service facilities.
What is Save the Lunch? Even a simple hot meal is a huge help when you're trying to get back on your feet. By supporting Save the Lunch, you'll help us save unissued lunches from cafeterias and deliver them to those in need in social service settings.
Despite the best planning efforts of the operators, there are 20 portions of hot food left in each company cafeteria each day. That's roughly 72,000 unissued meals a day. 72,000 wasted chances to feed those who cannot afford a hot lunch themselves.
Help us change that. It only takes a little.
For 25€ we can save 13 portions and feed 13 people in need
For 40€ we can save 30 portions and feed 30 people in need
For 150€ we can save 130 portions and feed 130 people in need
we can save Become a regular donor. A hot meal every day can turn lives around in the long term. It's not for nothing that they say we don't think properly on an empty stomach.
Donate now.
Save the Lunch as a gift? Of course! We have a gift voucher that will be automatically emailed to you after you proceed with your donation.
How will we use your donation? We can get surplus food from the canteens to social services at no cost. However, we need to cover the costs of managing the donation process, reaching out to new canteens and recipients, and managing and developing the mobile app and website that make donating easy. Communication activities, including communication with authorities and ministries, so that it will be possible to donate meals from school canteens as early as 2025. Help us make donating leftover, ready-to-eat meals a common practice across the country.
Za brikule.
Dobrá činnost
Well done!!
Dobrou chuť. To nic není
Za 52km Chiemsee 💪
Nice work Oldřich!
Za 50km Starnberger See 💪
Jedno startovný do Běchovic
Za Bodensee bude litr
🧙♂️