[Report] Promoting Social Connectedness through Food

OECD governments are increasingly taking action to promote social connectedness and reduce social isolation and loneliness, and several OECD countries have launched national strategies to boost connectedness in recent years. At the international level, the OECD, the European Commission and the World Health Organization (through its Commission on Social Connection) have conducted research and knowledge exchange activities to support these efforts and advance the agenda of putting social connections firmly on the radar of policymakers. These governmental efforts are also being supported by increasing international co-ordination amongst non-governmental actors and researchers, such as through the Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection (GILC).

This report builds on these efforts, and notably the 2025 report Social Connections and Loneliness in OECD Countries, taking the example of food and food-centred activities to contribute to practical knowledge on how government and non-government actors can work together to boost opportunities and spaces for connection within communities. The case studies considered in the report indicate how growing, preparing, and eating food with others can provide accessible and adaptable ways to improve connectedness and broader well-being outcomes, as well as highlighting issues for well-designed programme implementation with broad relevance for activities beyond food, such as volunteer support, models for cross-sector collaboration, and the need for robust evaluation evidence.