Stop Food Waste Day

Food waste is one of the topics that we cover in a class I'm currently co-tutoring on nutrition, food journaling and creative writing. We've discussed how reducing food waste can save money during the current cost of living crisis. 

And today is Stop Food Waste Day! 

A shocking one third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally.

Food waste is central to some of the key challenges facing the world today, not just hunger and poverty, but also climate change, health and wellbeing and agricultural sustainability. Wasting food also wastes the energy used to grow, harvest, process and cook. Food waste in landfill can cause methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. 

Stop Food Waste Day aims to inspire individuals and organisations to reduce food waste. The campaign website includes practical, creative ideas to minimise food waste, including a cookbook. This cookbook shares ideas on how to use leftover foods, including items you may have imagined as being impossible to use, such as banana peels!

There are three main types of ways to reduce food waste

Prevent food waste at source. For individuals this means storing food optimally, making use of every edible part of the ingredient and planning meals ahead of time. There are also ways in which agriculture and food production could become more efficient.

 

Inspire others to waste less, and repurpose more

 

Repurpose food by redistributing surplus food to your local community, or giving a second life to ingredients that most commonly go to waste 

 

Any leftover food that can't be reused should be composted where possible - for example in a compost heap in your garden or in a council food composting collection. City of Edinburgh Council has a food waste collection, though I don't think all councils do.

How do you minimise your food waste? Feel free to share ideas in the comments!

Find out more and get involved at the Stop Food Waste website.