HOW TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE AT HOME

Do you know: Over 800 million people are currently suffering from malnutrition, a disturbing thought when one-third of the food that is intended for human consumption is wasted or lost. Statistics indicate that 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted globally each year. The staggering amount of food wasted could feed approximately 3 billion people.

Food waste is contributed by households, businesses, and the food industry itself. Exact global household food waste figures for 2025 are not yet available, but the United Nations reports that around 19% of total global food production is wasted in households, food service, and retail.

Reducing food waste is crucial because it addresses climate change by decreasing methane emissions from landfills and conserving resources like water and land used for production. It also contributes to food security and fights hunger, ensures economic benefits by saving resources, and makes our food systems more resilient and sustainable.

To reduce food waste and help the environment:

• PLAN meals and shop with a list to avoid overbuying.
• STORE food correctly to maximise freshness.
• DESIGNATE an “eat me first” shelf in your fridge for perishables.
• UTILISE leftovers and imperfect produce by freezing or transforming them into new dishes.
• UNDERSTAND expiration dates. Expiration dates are only suggestions by the manufacturer for when the food is at its peak quality, not when it is unsafe to eat. By investigating your food – looking, smelling, or doing a small taste test – you can determine more about its status than an arbitrary label will tell you.
• DONATE unneeded food items instead of throwing them away.
• GROW your own fruits and vegetables. This gives you control over your produce, allowing you to harvest food at its peak ripeness and use it before it spoils.

Everyone can practise the above simple and impactful tips to stop food loss and waste. By saving resources like land and water and reducing potent methane emissions from landfills, these practices create a more sustainable food system.

“We all have the power to reduce food loss and waste. Even small actions add up. By wasting less, we protect the planet and help ensure more food reaches the people who need it most.” – UNEP