How to raise awareness about food waste?

With one-third of food lost or wasted every day worldwide, how can we raise awareness among children and adults about food waste? Here are some tips.

Why raise awareness about food waste?

In Canada, fruits and vegetables are one of the most impacted food categories. While public sector action is essential to transforming agri-food systems, we can also make this choice through small actions.

For every fruit and vegetable lost, resources like water and land are also consumed. And disposing of food in landfills produces greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. These losses also impact prices and increase food insecurity.

How to adopt anti-waste reflexes as a family?

The circular economy applied to the biofood sector allows us to rethink the production and consumption of fruits and vegetables. The idea is to use food to its full potential.

According to Marina Jolly, A consultant specializing in food systems transition , the circular economy means limiting what we take, rethinking how we use resources, and reducing our impact on the environment to better respect planetary boundaries. The circular economy is not an end in itself and should be seen as a tool to reduce our ecological footprint and change our lifestyles.

The 3.5% circularity index in Quebec (RECYC-QUÉBEC, 2021) is proof of this. We have the room to act on our own scale, review our consumption patterns and behaviors: plan meals, better preserve food, favor local products with a lower environmental impact, use leftovers, etc. According to Marina, to achieve this, we must agree to examine our individual practices frankly, but without feeling guilty.

While innovative solutions are certainly needed, adopting good practices can help greatly. We, too, have our part to play as citizens.

Exchange best practices

If you have any anti-waste tips or recipes in mind, we invite you to share them. Instead of throwing away food waste like zucchini peels, incorporate them into your weekly menu. A creative zucchini pancake recipe might surprise more than one person around the table!

You can challenge them with things like spending a week consuming locally or telling at least three people about it in a few days. In addition to raising awareness in a fun way, it's a great way to spend quality time with your loved ones.

Choose a healthier diet

In the fast-paced world of life, we often lack time to prepare meals. Yet, the internet is full of great, easy, and healthy recipes when you're stuck for inspiration. We also recommend our anti-waste recipe blog to stock up on ideas.

Save on discounted meals

Do you see fruits and vegetables with imperfections? Unfortunately, they're often thrown away because they don't meet beauty standards. Yet, we assure you, they taste the same!

Why not try the Anti-Waste Basket ? We deliver surplus fruits and vegetables in the Greater Montreal area in the form of surprise baskets at a third of the usual price. A great way to support us and reduce your grocery costs while helping to combat growing food insecurity. When you buy a basket, you get a basket donated to a community organization!

Optimize leftover food

Unfortunately, too many of us buy more food than we actually need. We let it spoil at home and then end up wasting it! Before it gets to that point, consider freezing it when it gets old.

Additionally, reorganizing your fridge can be a good way to improve it. Store older fruits and vegetables at the front in airtight containers to extend their shelf life. And if they're really spoiled, you can always recycle these scraps into compost. A great fertilizer for growing outdoor and indoor plants naturally.

The United Nations also launched the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste on September 29. We see it above all as an opportunity to remind ourselves that the fight against food waste is everyone's business. A few additional eco-friendly lifestyle changes can help the cause.

Article powered by Marina Jolly, co-founder of the Récolte collective and consultant specializing in food systems transition for the Montreal-based support structure for impact entrepreneurs, L'Esplanade.

Photo credit: Bruno Zara

Sources:
Official website of the United Nations , 2023
Circularity Report, RECYC-QUÉBEC, 2021
Experts: International Day, McGill University, September 29, 2020