The Stinky Reality of Food Waste and How You Can Make a Difference at Home

Here is the first thing I notice every single time I pass by a dumpster: The distinct smell of rotting food. Seriously, people don't just toss away food scraps but actual edible food into their trash like it’s nothing, just mindlessly chucking half a burger or something for whatever reason. I've seen it normalized on old TV shows and films where a character nonchalantly tips a whole plate of perfectly good food into the trash, like WTF! This isn’t normal! I recoil like how I do every time an actor onscreen brings their feet up on the couch or bed with their shoes on. I mean, Que horror! But I digress.

Wasting food is even more cringe in my humble book. Food waste refers to food that is edible but is thrown away rather than consumed (1). This does not only happen at home though. Food waste includes food that is discarded at the farm, retail, and consumer phases of the food supply chain. These include the "ugly" produce that gets left behind at the farm or at grocery counters because they are not perfect enough for the buyers.

The Negative Impact of Food Waste

Food waste has negative impacts both locally and globally. What does it mean? It means that its negative effects are not limited to who is doing the wasting or where it is happening. Not to sound too dramatic but it affects other aspects of our lives, other people's lives, our environment, and everything else in it.

The negative impacts of food waste include:

1. Environmental Impacts: Food waste is a significant and growing contributor to climate change and environmental degradation. It contributes to the release of greenhouse gases such as methane, which has a much greater warming effect than carbon dioxide. Additionally, food waste in landfills can contaminate soil and water and contribute to the depletion of natural resources such as soil, water, and energy(1,2).

2. Economic Impacts: Food waste has economic consequences at every stage of the food supply chain. It leads to increased disposal costs for businesses, municipalities, and individuals. It also results in lost revenue for farmers and reduces the overall efficiency of the food system(1,3).

3. Social Impacts: Food waste perpetuates food insecurity by reducing the amount of food available for those in need. It also contributes to higher food prices and food loss for vulnerable populations(1,4).

By addressing food waste, we can reduce its negative impacts and promote a more sustainable and equitable food system. Farms, I sure hope, have their way of limiting these negative impacts. A cost-effective and sustainable approach is to turn their waste into compost and fertilizer, which in my humble opinion, no self-respecting farmer would not say no to.

Tips to Reduce Food Waste (and SAVE money!)

Here are 8 crazy easy ways to reduce food waste at home (5,6):

1. Plan your meals: Create a weekly meal plan and make a shopping list based on the ingredients you need. This helps you buy only what you will use, reducing the chances of food going to waste. For busy bees who do not always have enough time to cook, creating a meal prep and storing them can even ensure that you have your food ready anytime you need it. This leads us to tip #2.

2. Proper storage: Check the temperature settings of your fridge and keep it at 40°F or below (6). This helps extend the shelf life of perishable items. In addition, keep your fridge and pantry organized so that you can easily see and use items before they expire (7).

3. First in, first out: Practice the "first in, first out" rule when stocking your fridge and pantry. Use older items before newer ones to ensure nothing gets forgotten and wasted (7).

4. Freeze leftovers: If you have leftovers that you won't consume immediately, freeze them for later use. Label them with dates to keep track of their freshness. When you decide to use it, you can either heat it up and eat it as is, or "revise" it like I always end up doing with my leftover food. For example, leftover rice almost always becomes fried rice, or chicken adobo might get updated with chopped potatoes or boiled eggs.

5. Use leftovers creatively: Instead of throwing away leftovers, get creative and repurpose them into new meals. For example, leftover vegetables can be used in stir-fries, soups, or veg stock, and stale bread can be turned into rusks, breadcrumbs, or croutons.

6. Preserve and can: If you have excess produce that you won't be able to consume in time, consider preserving or canning them. I especially like making jams and pickles. This helps extend their shelf life, allowing you to enjoy them later.

7. Be mindful of portion sizes: Serve yourself and your family realistic portion sizes to avoid food waste. You can always go back for seconds if needed.

8. Donate excess food: Consider donating excess food to local food banks or charitable organizations. Find out in your neighborhood who needs an extra hand and if you can't find any, the rest of the world is a pretty big place to find one or two. In fact, a lot of kids and families in places like Gaza and Sudan would be very happy with your food gifts. Donating your excess pantry staples ensures that food gets to those in need instead of going to waste.

By implementing these simple strategies, you can significantly reduce food waste at home and contribute to a more sustainable food system. I may not have been the best at managing food waste in my own kitchen and I do not claim to be, but we could all learn something a little bit each day and be able to make a conscious effort moving forward. A little goes a long way. I hope this has helped you in some way. If you have more ideas, please share them, too.

Sources:

1. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Food Waste: The Problem and Solutions. The Nutrition Source. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/sustainability/food-waste/.

2. United Nations Environment Programme. (2013). Avoiding Future Famines: Strengthening the Ecological Foundation of Food Security through Sustainable Food Systems. Nairobi, Kenya. https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/8453/-Avoiding_Future_Famines_Strengthening_the_Ecological_Foundation_of_Food_Security_through_Sustainable_Food_Systems-2013Avoiding.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y.

3. USDA, ERS. (2019). Food Loss: Why Food Stays On the Farm or Off the Market. United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2019/march/food-loss-why-food-stays-on-the-farm-or-off-the-market/.

4. FAO. (2021). Food Loss & Food Waste. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. http://www.fao.org/food-loss-and-food-waste/en/.

5. US EPA: Preventing Wasted Food At Home | US EPA 

6. 25 Simple Tools and Practical Tips for Cutting Down Food Waste 

7. FDA: Tips to Reduce Food Waste | FDA