LOVE FOOD hate waste

Did you know households spend an average of $1,036 per year on food that is wasted across in NSW? This totals to $2.5 billion a year. Shocking news when avoiding and preventing waste is so simple.

At the Good Food and Wine Show there are many stalls- you taste their food, give them feedback, buy goodies, watch cooking demonstrations etc... This year, a particular stall caught our eye- the 'LOVE FOOD hate waste' stall from the NSW Government Environment, Climate Change and Water.

This group is teaching people across NSW how to avoid waste by implementing four simple measures:

1. Don't buy more than you need
2. Don't cook more than you will eat
3. Store food correctly
4. Compost any leftovers and organic waste

The people who waste the most food are:

• Young consumers (aged 18-24)
• Households with incomes of more than $100,000 per year
• Families with children

This 'LOVE FOOD hate waste' program aims to raise awareness about the environmental and financial impacts of food waste in NSW and to reduce the amount of 'good' food being sent to landfill. By promoting easy and practical solutions for buying, cooking and storing food, 'LOVE FOOD hate waste' will help the NSW community to prevent food waste, save time and money and reduce our impact to the environment.

A few tips to help you reduce food waste:

• Next time you go grocery shopping, write a shopping list based on a menu plan
• Change the way you store food
• Cook only what yo need to
• Buy a compost bin- all your veggie scraps and other organic waste goes in it! Worms love it and you'll love it too when you can use your rich soil to plant herbs, fruit and veg in the comfort of your home! Nothing beats home grown!

If you like us are passionate about this topic, other recommended literature is:

Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal by Tristram Stuart

At the end of the day, this is all about loving food and loving the place we have been entrusted to live in. It's about sustainability and passion for our planet. For more info visit: lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au

* Source- lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au