What can be done to reduce food waste?

ash28

MatthewAinsworth wrote: »

Stop farming subsidies, allow food to be more expensive and allow farms to be converted to housing

I would hate farms to be used for housing, as a nation I would like to see us become more self sufficient in food production and be less reliant on food imports.

Why import fresh foods we can grow at home? Rhubarb from Holland....strawberries from Spain? Potatoes from Egypt?

Nick_C

ash28 wrote: »

I would hate farms to be used for housing

I completely agree. We don't need more houses. We need fewer people.

And if we have any spare farm land (does the EU still pay farmers to leave their fields fallow?) we should grow crops for bio fuel.

newthrift

ash28 wrote: »

I would hate farms to be used for housing, as a nation I would like to see us become more self sufficient in food production and be less reliant on food imports.

Why import fresh foods we can grow at home? Rhubarb from Holland....strawberries from Spain? Potatoes from Egypt?

Totally agree with this!!

Fishywiggles

Be Vegan

For the animals

For the environment

For your health

Fishywiggles

Has this question beend posed to the companies that sell the food?

Supermarket food waste on a weekly basis could feed so many people with a fraction of the waste. Trolly loads of food doesn't even see the shelves sometimes because of a stupid 2 date rule by sainsburys. There's so much food just sitting it freezers and fridges of supermarkets across the world that could probably feed the starving and then some. Why is pointless exercise allowed to happen and then the public are asked for solutions as though we are the main contributors... seems a bit back to front to me.

The solution is at the source.

ViolaLass

Fishywiggles wrote: »

Has this question beend posed to the companies that sell the food?

Supermarket food waste on a weekly basis could feed so many people with a fraction of the waste. Trolly loads of food doesn't even see the shelves sometimes because of a stupid 2 date rule by sainsburys. There's so much food just sitting it freezers and fridges of supermarkets across the world that could probably feed the starving and then some. Why is pointless exercise allowed to happen and then the public are asked for solutions as though we are the main contributors... seems a bit back to front to me.

The solution is at the source.

Apparently homes are responsible for half of what gets wasted so I don't think it's an unreasonable question.

ViolaLass

Fishywiggles wrote: »

Be Vegan

For the animals

For the environment

For your health

Why would that reduce waste? The number one thing that is wasted is fruit and veg.

Doom_and_Gloom

I abhor waste. I get angry at people like my sister who chuck something as soon as it hits the date on the product, including fruit and vegetables! This wasn't how we were raised I can tell you that.
My ma has before told my sister she will throw fruit and vegetables away that were on that date or gone for my sister. She bagged it up and gave it to me as my ma knew she was going to see me and I would use it. Ma also bags up fruit and vegetables for me before my parents go on holiday as they always come to see us before they go. Anything my OH will use they give to him.
Vegetables made into curries, chillis, soups etc.
Fruit can be frozen for smothies, used for jam or the like.

Our freezer is our best friend against waste.
Made curry in my slow cooker the other day, it made 7 portions. I knew I would eat one portion that day and one the next. The other five went in the freezer. A home made ready meal for when I need it or to take out when on the meal plan. I have many different types in the freezer labelled.
It's also invaluable for reduced/on offer products, soups, great food products for me, my OH buys reduced meats and freezes them. Every so often he buys a reduced joint and portions it as if stakes or slice/dice it. He has meat for whatever, when he needs it and no waste.

We live in a small one bed flat. I wouldn't get rid of our huge upright freezer for any reason. The space it takes up is more than worth it.

Edit to add: I've been using a meal plan again recently and to help I took a photo of it on my phone. When I go shopping I use a list of what I need and use the meal plan photo to make sure it's correct. Sometimes I put something on the list I can go without so don't end up buying it but there has been an occasion I nearly forgot the potatos I needed. The photo of my meal plan helped me buy what I needed.

UKParliament

Hi Everyone,

Many thanks for all the great comments you have made in this thread. These have been shared with the Committee and will help inform their questions to people that are called in to answer questions and their final report.

I am passing on a message from the Chair of the Committee

On behalf of the whole Committee, I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to contribute to this forum. I have read all your comments with interest and they have been shared with the whole Committee.

Our inquiry will start taking evidence in public in November. We will then consider what we have learnt before publishing our recommendations to the Government. The Government is then required to respond to our report and outline what actions it intends to take.

You can see what is happening in our inquiry by following the Committee on twitter at @CommonsEFRA or by keeping an eye on our website. All of our evidence sessions can also be watched online on ParliamentTV.

We are extremely grateful to all of you for taking the time to contribute.

Neil Parish MP

Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

UKParliament

Hi All,

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee will hold its first evidence session on food waste in England on Tuesday 15 November at 10.15am.

The Committee will hear from campaigners in this area, examining the economic, environmental and social impacts of food waste with a focus on consumers, the retail and hospitality sectors, and local government.

Witnesses
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, broadcaster and campaigner
Tristram Stuart, founder, Feedback

Purpose of the session
The session explores a number of themes including:

• The impact of food waste in England
• Measures to reduce food waste by retailers, the hospitality sector, local government, and consumers
• The effectiveness of voluntary initiatives and the need for legislation

Watch
You can watch the session live or catch-up later on Parliament TV.