Minimising waste
A conscious choice to make the most of our food
In Australia, up to 20% of the food we buy goes in the bin – an average of $4000 of wasted food per household every year.[2] To this disturbing statistic we need to add the effort and resources put into food production, processing, packaging, transportation and retail. This reflects our collective desire for convenience and a shift away from the respect for food that was once essential for survival. Luckily, there are many different techniques and habits we can all use to minimise food waste. These practices run through every level of our food consumption – from the point of purchase, to preparation, storage and preservation. Being conscious of food waste and learning new skills to help us make the most of the food we buy is a rewarding endeavour, providing a better understanding of food and ingredients while being fair on the environment and those who produce our food.
- Over 5 million tonnes of food ends up as landfill, enough to fill 9,000 Olympic sized swimming pools.[1]
- 35% of the average household bin is food waste. [2]
[1]Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. 2020. Department Of Agriculture, Water And The Environment.
[2]EPA, N., 2020. Organics-Infrastructure-Fund. NSW Environment Protection Authority.