Food & Hospitality: Food Waste

Australia is a prosperous country, yet there remains a sizeable portion of the population who lack a regular supply of nutritious and affordable food, either going hungry or relying on assistance from charities and food banks. In the past year alone, more than four million Australians have been in a situation where they have run out of food and have been unable to buy more. Conversely, we also waste a lot of food right through the supply chain; the cost of food waste to the national economy is a staggering 20 billion dollars each year. What are the many ways in which we could reduce our individual food waste? How can Australia address the needs of people who are food insecure, and by the same token minimise food waste, to encourage an equitable and sustainable approach to food? One thing is clear: we could do more to live by the old adages, 'you are what you eat' and 'waste not, want not'.

Imagine going to the supermarket and buying three bags full of food but then dropping one in the parking lot before driving away. With the amount of food we waste, it's like we all do the equivalent of that every single week. Forty percent of food is wasted in North America. When you drop leftovers into the household trash or even the compost pile, not only are you emptying your wallet, you are also contributing to global warming. It's time to get smarter about sustainable consumerism. With more than 140 recipes organized by ingredient and countless brilliant ideas for using everything up, The Waste Not, Want Not Cookbook will show you how to shop, cook, and eat with zero waste. You'll learn how to transform leftovers into delicious new dishes, how to store and preserve foods to make them last, how to shop smart when buying in bulk, and interpret "best-before" dates. You'll even learn how to cook once and create three different meals. So heed the wisdom of your grandparents and reclaim the contents of your fridge.

Would you like to throw away less? Do something for the planet? But not ready to dive straight into composting or go totally plastic-free yet? Waste Not Everyday is your step-by-step guide with 365 easy changes that will not only influence what you throw out but also have a genuine impact on the future of our planet. With tips ranging from actions and inspiration to recipes and resources, Erin Rhoads, well-known zero-waste advocate and author of Waste Not, takes you on a gentle journey towards a life with less waste and more meaning.

By 2050, we will have ten billion mouths to feed in a world profoundly altered by environmental change. How can we meet this challenge? In How to Feed the World, a diverse group of experts from Purdue University break down this crucial question by tackling big issues one-by-one. Chapter 9 deals with food waste.