The fight against Food Waste

Fighting Food waste

Food waste is defined as ‘Food which is uneaten, wasted and lost during the food supply chain, production, retail and consumption’. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally (FAO, 2013). The fight against food waste is therefore more important than ever and is a significant issue that affects not only our environment but also our health.

Two of the main reasons for food waste are overbuying and improper storage of perishable items. Many people tend to buy more food than they need, leading to spoilage and waste.

Plan meals ahead of time. A meal plan can prevent food waste and help you utilise what you already have in the house, as well as being an effective way of budgeting money spent on food. Use our Nourished Life meal planner!
Make a shopping list to avoid buying unnecessary items, or repurchasing ones you already have. Use the Nourished Life Shopping List when you next do your shop!

Our Shopping List

Download it here

Our Meal Planner

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LET'S COOK

Ways you can combat food waste

Combating food waste starts with you, the consumer and can be done in small steps to reduce climate change and global warming.

It is essential to store perishable items properly, such as fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator and dry goods in airtight containers. Bread, onions, garlic and potatoes are best stored in the cupboard for example, whilst eggs, apples, stone fruit and the majority of vegetables are best kept in the fridge.

Another common cause of food waste is the misunderstanding of expiration dates. ‘Best-before dates’ indicate how long foods will last before they lose quality. However, many people throw away food that is still safe to eat because they misinterpret ‘best-before’ as the date when the food becomes unsafe to consume – this is the ‘use-by’ date. Try and use your senses to determine if food is still good to eat, such as checking for mould, unusual odours, and changes in texture.

Additionally, repurposing leftovers can help reduce food waste and save money. Get creative with leftovers by incorporating them into new dishes or freezing them for later use. Leftover vegetables can be added to soups or stir-fries, while leftover grains can be used in salads or casseroles/stews. Instead of throwing away spoiled fruit and vegetables or peelings, add them to your own compost, therefore, reducing landfill.

Try purchasing ‘wonky’ produce. Many supermarkets are now selling ‘wonky’ fruit and veg, which would have otherwise gone to waste as it failed to meet retail standards. Companies such as Oddbox and Wonkyvegboxes deliver monthly wonky veg boxes.

Why not try this month's Nourished Life zero waste recipes below, to use up your 'wonky' veg and leftovers!

Broccoli Hummus

This zero waste recipe uses the whole broccoli stem - a delicious take on a classic!

let's cook

Beetroot Falafel

A perfect way for using up any stale bread. Serve with hummus, or a great addition to salads, wraps and sandwiches

let's cook

Food Waste Resources

If everyone took steps to reduce food waste by planning meals, properly storing food, understanding expiration dates and repurposing leftovers, we can start to combat food waste and can create a more sustainable and healthy food system for future generations.

Compass has created an free digital cookbook, featuring recipes from over 50 Compass chefs across nearly 40 countries. The cookbook makes it easy to create meals which give a second life to ingredients that most commonly go to waste.
Take a peek at some of recipes that Compass Group have on their YouTube channel
Stop Food Waste Day this year is on Wednesday, 24^th April 2024. Launched in 2017 by Compass Group USA, Stop Food Waste Day is an international day of action in the fight against food waste. Visit the Stop Food Waste Day website for more information.

References:

FAO, 2013. Food Wastage Footprint. Impacts on natural resources. Summary Report (available at Food wastage footprint: Impacts on natural resources - Summary report (fao.org)

FAO, 2011. Global Food Losses and Waste. Extent, Causes and Prevention (available at http://www.fao.org/docrep/014/mb060e/mb060e00.pdf )