Do You Waste Food?

Wasted food may seem unavoidable with children who can be notoriously finicky eaters at certain stages and ages.

But parents concerned about food waste can take note of recent tips from the UK. British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown has recently launched a campaign to urge consumers and world leaders at the G8 Summit this week to address the problem.

WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), a private company funded by the British government to study environmental waste reduction, discovered 1/3 of food bought in the UK winds up as waste. They've launched a site, Love Food Hate Waste, offering consumers advice on meal planning and using up leftovers in creative ways.

On the U.S. side, journalist Jonathan Bloom, who has been studying food waste since 2005 and has devoted a blog to food waste in the U.S., said "Americans waste more than 40 percent of the food we produce for consumption. That comes at an annual cost of more than $100 billion." His blog lists ways in which groups and organizations recover and recycle wasted food.

Ready to take action? Visit Love Food Hate Waste for shopping suggestions and if you're ready to tackle this week's leftovers, Deborah Taylor-Hough, a mom, author and authority on simple living has plenty of great ideas on her site that will have you thinking beyond soup and casseroles.

What are some ways you cut down on food waste? Post your tips and suggestions in the comments below.

Comments

[dara@EcoFriendlyMomma]

I used to go grocery shopping about every two weeks, until I realized we were wasting too much food. Now I plan out a menu for 2-3 days, pick up those items in one grocery trip, and make certain we at least eat all the perishable items before I go shopping again. Seems to work pretty well, we're certainly wasting less!

[Christine]

Moondancer, thanks for the composting tip. We've seen this successfully in action.

[Moondancer Drake]

We have a solution to food waste in our house. It's called vermicomposting. Save dairy and meat, all else can go right in the worm bin to be made into rich compost for the garden. I talk here about the process.

http://moondancerdrake.livejournal.com/25702.html

[Jeanne Reslan]

I think this is an important problem in our country and I'm guilty. I am ashamed to say that a cookie rarely goes bad in my house, but we have many vegetable casualties. My husband and I are both aware of the problem and really trying to stay on top of it! I own an eco-friendly company, so it is very important to us to live out our company goals in all parts of our lives. I hope others take notice to this problem!