Food Waste
FOOD WASTE is responsible for around 8 per cent of global greenhouse gases, because spoiled and rotting food sitting in landfill produces methane, a harmful gas which is 28 times more potent than carbon monoxide.
When we throw out food, we are also wasting the water, fuel and resources it took to get the produce from the farm to your table.
Nowadays, an enormous amount of food goes directly from the table to the trash. It is estimated that 30% of the food produced in the world is wasted every year, for a total of 1.3 million tons. On the other hand, the tendency to live a life producing zero waste is increasingly gaining ground, allowing the reuse and recycling of food products otherwise destined for waste.
Until a few decades ago, a child, sitting at any dining table, was told repeatedly to finish everything that had been put on his plate. It happened regularly because the education of the past told us not to waste anything or, at most, to use the leftovers with recipes for recovery that are now part of the tradition. The culture of zero waste in the family world was the norm. Food that is ready in the supermarket and restaurants is often not reused if it advances.
It may be because the domestic economy is no longer a subject of study at school, but the situation today has changed a lot: the last generations seem to have gotten carried away and, born in a social context in which we have not had to deal with scarcity but rather with the abundance of food and the problem of Child Obesity. From zero waste to zero reuse, it has really changed.
Some good ideas to try to minimize our food wastage –
1 Check the fridge before you shop and only buy what you need.
2 Plan your meals. It saves time, money and reduces food waste.
3 Check date labels and know the difference between:
a. ‘Use by’- food has to go.
b. ‘Best before’- food is at its best and can be eaten after this date as long as it has been stored correctly.
c. ‘Display until’- a stock control message for retailers.
4 Use leftovers and be creative with your next meal.
5 Ask for smaller portions or a ‘family bag’ when eating out.