For the Parents

A bit of context:

The STEM Leftovers Lab website is a part of the 2021 Little Food Festival.

The Little Food Festival is a reoccurring celebration of all things food! Normally occurring in person at the iconic Federation Square in Melbourne, this year we have shifted online to try to bring some jam-packed excitement into your home! The festival is a collaboration of the Sandro Demaio Foundation, Monash University, Fed Square and The City of Melbourne. Click here for the Fed Square website.

For more information about the festival, and some information about the authors of this website, check out our About Us tab.

How do I use the STEM Leftovers Lab website?

If you have just arrived and are overwhelmed by all of the tabs and activities, don’t panic! Our Home Page has a marvelous introduction that provides lots of information about Food Waste, as well as some context for the activities.

The Activities Page has a grid with all of the different activities with a short description. To help you pick the right one for your child, they have been colour coded, with the more advanced ones towards the bottom. Please feel free to browse through and find out what each of them involves. Once you have picked one (or some) that looks good, just jump right in! Each page should have instructions, guides, or even printable templates to help out.

Once you are ready to submit one or more activities, head to the Competition Page for more information, links, and access to the Terms and Conditions.

If you want to reach out to provide feedback, or ask any questions about the activities (or anything else), please fill out the form on the Contact Us page.

How do I download a document that I need for an activity?

Need some help downloading a PDF or Word Document for an activity?

To download/print a Word Document:

  1. Click on the Open Document button in the top right corner of the document.

  2. This will open the document in a new tab.

  3. Locate the File menu on in the top left of the screen.

  4. To download the file as a Microsoft Word document, click on go to Download and select Microsoft Word. Select the location on your computer where you would like save it.

  5. You can also choose Make a Copy if you would like to use Google Docs to edit your document.

  6. To print the document, click on Print.

To download a PDF document:

  1. Click on the Pop-out button in the top right corner of the document.

  2. This will open the document in a new tab.

  3. Click on the Print button in the top right corner of the screen.

  4. Try to print double-sided, or print using paper that has already been used (but has a blank side).

How can I be involved in promoting these ideas in my home?

If you, like us, see the value in tackling food waste head on, then consider some of the ideas below to get the most out of this website moving forward.

  • Sit with your child while they are doing the activities and try to prompt them to get the most out of it. You might want to even do the activity too; there is plenty to learn for all ages.

  • Invite your child to cook with you more often. As well as developing a valuable life skill, it will help them to apply some of the ideas that they have learned.

  • Post online, and show your friends and the world what great activities your child has been doing, and ideas they have come up with. You can use the Little Food Festival tags and socials, or even share the website to friends and family with children.

  • Try to get input from your child when planning meals, or deciding what to do with leftover food. Keep the ideas coming and they will become second nature to both your child and you.

  • Come back to the website to do the other tasks. The website will be up long after the festival ends, and the activities will probably be even more relevant than ever.

However you end up using the website, please enjoy it, and do your best to address food waste.