Feeding the community at $2 a healthy meal

Helping people "take accountability" rather than a handout is behind a $2 meal initiative for healthy instead of fast food in Otara.

Familes can order meals online in advance at $2 each and then pick up from a fridge at local Alexander Cafe, thanks to the Otara Charitable Trust initiative Ezy Eat.

They can also choose an option to 'pay it foward', reinforcing the idea of  helping subsidise the cost, explains cafe owner Lama Saga, one of the coordinators.

Otara Health Charitable trust help set up initiative in 2020.  It takes 2 days for the order to process and then members can pick up from Alexander Cafe in Otara.

“You see a lot of people in McDonalds or eating takeaways. It's all about educating people. You spend $20 here, you get so much food but also, food that is good for you.”

Mr. Saga hopes that there could be more Ezy Eat fridges around other Auckland suburbs but it would rely on government or other funding support.

Manurewa ward councillor Alf Filipaina says there are some issues with the idea of expanding Ezy Eat fridges.

“There are factors on how these fridges will operate through other Auckland suburbs. This is in terms of staff supervising the fridges and maintenance,” he said.

However, he said Ezy Eat was a great community initiative that serves Otara well.