Food waste is a very real problem all over the world. Nearly a third of food produced globally is lost and never nourishes someone (1,2). This loss of food is unsustainable and happens at home, in restaurants, in hotels, and in our dining halls.
In Canada, we waste 40% of the food we produce (1). This amounts to $31 billion lost every year! Food waste contributes to the global hunger epidemic, wasting of resources, and destruction of the environment. Reducing your food waste while eating in the dining hall can be as easy as making a small change to the way you eat!
1. Ask for samples
-Trying new foods is always exciting but can be disappointing if you don’t like it. Instead of heaping it onto your plate, take a smaller amount to try or ask one of the staff to give you a “sample amount”. If you like it, you can always go back for more!
2. Share with friends
-If you know the food you are getting is too big for you, try sharing it with a friend. That way you can both enjoy the food without wasting it! This also works great for foods you’ve never tried before. If you and your friend want to try the same thing, why not split it?
3. Go back for a second helping
-The beauty of all-you-care-to-eat is that you can go back for seconds. Or thirds. Or fourths. Or fifths. As many times as you would like! Taking that extra trip if you are still hungry rather than putting lots of food on your plate “just in case” is one great way to reduce the amount of food you throw in the bin!
4. Talk to the staff
-Know you don’t like a certain spice in ANYTHING? Go ahead and ask the staff. They will be able to find out if the dish has it and help you avoid foods you know you don’t like.
I would like to challenge you to try one (or more!) of these waste reduction tips and help make Dalhousie a more sustainable campus.
1. Gooch M., Felfel A. (2014). “$27 Billion” Revisited: The cost of Canada’s annual food waste. Value Chain Management International Incorporated, Retrieved from: http://vcm-international.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Food-Waste-in-Canada-27-Billion-Revisited-Dec-10-2014.pdf
2. Food and Agrigultural Organisation of the United Nations (n.d.) Key facts on food loss and waste you should know. Retrieved from: http://www.fao.org/save-food/resources/keyfindings/en/
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