The Struggle Against Food Waste

A major struggle, indeed! Growing up, we’ve all experienced at least one moment when our parents or relatives told us to finish the plate, against our will. Those “darn broccolis”, we thought. But, now, not only do we know that they wanted the best for us, but they were also setting an example against food waste.

It is important to know that by discussing this subject, we have to split it into two different concepts, within the same field. When we talk about waste, we are referring to food discarded by consumers and food service sectors. Here, we can help make the difference at home! Whereas with food loss, we can’t, due to it being the result of the reduction of edible food during production, post-harvest and processing. It involves the decrease in quantity or quality of food.

When we analyse the data, with one-third of all food produced globally for human consumption being lost or wasted each year, we have more than enough reason to be alarmed!

“Even if just one-fourth of the food currently lost or wasted globally could be saved, it would be enough to feed 870 million hungry people in the world.”

Looking at first world countries, where the percentage of waste is much higher than developing countries, we can see that in the United States alone roughly 40% of the food produced never gets eaten, translating to almost 159 million kilos daily.

Naturally, wasting less food isn’t just going to happen overnight, but just being aware of it can really help in the long run! On a more personal note, let’s start by trying to practice these 5 important tips:

• Avoid overeating! It might be your favourite meal, but keeping your serving sizes in check by becoming more healthy and mindful of how hungry you are, is a great way to reduce waste.

• Save leftovers. Hey, even if you’re following our previous tip, it can happen! Store your leftovers in a clear glass container to ensure you don’t forget about them. Plus, it will save you time and money!

• Plan ahead and buy smart! Most of the time, we have more food at the table than we actually need. Some of us share the curious pattern of not liking to see empty spaces in our fridge and end up forgetting about some goodies. Making a list of what you need and sticking by it is halfway through helping ourselves and the environment! 

• Work that Blender! Blending up a nutrient-packed smoothie is a great way to always make sure your fruits always end up in the right place: your stomach!
• Expiration Dates! In reality, most food that has just passed its expiration date is still safe to eat. In most cases, they only mean that food may not be at its best quality past the listed date. Don’t be fooled! 

As you can see, by changing our way of thinking, we can help create positive change from our households!

We will get back to you with more tips on the subject, so stay tuned and enjoy!