The PLATE method
Learning by doing
Research in real meal settings, together with expert partners.
This is how PLATE Lab works: Research where meals actually happen.
How can we create resilient meals—meals that are sustainable, healthy, delicious, and strengthen preparedness—in practice? In PLATE Lab, we test solutions together with partners from the public sector, industry, and civil society.
PLATE-labs consist of real-world test environments where research meets practice. Here, we develop and evaluate new menus, working methods, and governance models in settings such as preschools, public kitchens, restaurants, festivals, and sports events. The goal is to identify barriers, opportunities, and solutions for transitioning to a resilient food system.
The Swedish Olympic medalists Charlotte Kalla and Andre Myhrer are trying the new recepies. Photo: Stephane Lombard
Learning by doing. Step by step.
A PLATE-lab follows a structured process:
- Gather data, assess the current situation, define desired outcomes, and brainstorm ideas.
- Plan implementation and clarify roles.
- Develop menus and working methods.
- Test on a small scale, evaluate, and adjust.
- Scale up testing.
- Evaluate and share insights.
By combining data collection, hands-on testing, and scientific analysis, we build new knowledge about how to implement sustainable and resilience-building meals across different parts of the meal sector.
From testing to evidence
The work in a PLATE-lab directly contributes to research. For example, we explore:
- How sustainability, health, preparedness, and taste can come together in the same meal.
- How consumption patterns can change through incentives and design.
- How supply chains and organisation affect resilience.
- Which policies and tools deliver the greatest impact.
The results are used to develop evidence-based and effective policy recommendations—from local to national levels—and to improve working methods aimed to be scaled up across the entire meal sector.
Strengthening capacity in the meal sector
By collaborating on research, testing, and communication, we help partners build their ability to adapt and grow their own organisations to tackle future challenges. PLATE-labs aren't just about creating new knowledge—it’s about turning that knowledge into action and contributing to a resilient, sustainable, and competitive food system.
Olympic medallist André Myhrer. Photo: Stéphane Lombard
Influential pioneers in the field
Our partners are carefully selected stakeholders with capacity to push forward the development of resilient meals. There are multiple ways to engage with PLATE, depending on the level of involvement.
Different levels of partnership
Core partners commit at least 100 hours per year. They participate in PLATE-labs, contribute to assessment exercises, or provide data for research in other ways. They actively shape the development of the research centre, share insights and networks, and receive support in implementing PLATE-labs, communication, and participation in centre events.
Network partners contribute by sharing insights, networks, and data, and join digital meetings.
Lab partners are temporary collaborators who provide opportunities to test PLATE principles and contribute lab data. They receive temporary support for implementation, communication, and follow-up of the tests.
Academia
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Core partners
Networking partners
