Food Waste
Food waste
aROUND 1/3 OF ALL FOOD PRODUCED IS LOST OR WASTED.
The idea that so much food is wasted seems shocking. Especially since there are so many people living in poverty that don't have food. For the environment, we are removing trees to cultivate land that is used for wasted food. Food waste is still a huge problem in our modern world, but there are steps that we can take to reduce this. Storing our foods differently and removing the stigma of best before dates.
The facts.
Around 1/3 of food that is produced is lost or wasted. Food loss refers to food being lost at the earlier stages, so in storage or transportation before it is sold. Food waste refers to items that are thrown away by supermarkets or consumers but that are often good to eat. Generally food loss is higher in developing countries where the cultivation and transportation of the food may not be as modern. Whereas food waste is higher in developed countries where consumers do not want to eat food that is out of its date or seems to be misshaped. Food waste makes up a land mass larger than China to grow each year, and this is ultimately never eaten. This land has been deforested, indigenous populations moved, soil degraded and then the food is just brown away. In the UK alone an average family throws away 22% of their weekly shop.
So what can we do?
Remove the huge stigma with best before dates on food. The best before date is about quality not safety. The food is still good to eat however it may not have its full flavour. Many people throw away anything that is out of its date even when it is perfectly good.
There are also many ways we can keep our foods for longer at home (waaaay after that best before date).
TIPS
1. Store an apple with your potatoes, this should keep them for twice as long.
2. Keep bananas separate from other produces.
3. Invest in a breadbox, or if you're using your bread just for toast, freeze it!
4. Keep mushrooms in a paper bag.
5. Utilise your freezer. Freeze anything you won't be eating for a few days.
And a step further for any vegetable scraps you may have, store them in a. freezer bag and when you've got enough, you can boil them and make a broth.
