Food Waste Myths Busted: The Truth Behind Household Food Waste
Do you ever feel like your efforts to prevent food waste are just a drop in the bucket? You’re not alone, but here’s the good news: every small step we take in our kitchens has a ripple effect. Food waste isn’t just a problem for big industries—it happens in every household, and together, we can make a meaningful difference. To support your efforts, let’s bust some common food waste myths and share proven strategies that make a difference.
Myth: Household food waste is minor compared to food wasted by other sectors.
Fact: Food waste occurs at all stages of the food chain. The report, A Food Loss and Waste Strategy for Canada, shows 21% of food waste occurs at the consumer level. This means the choices we make in our kitchens matter and the more people that contribute the bigger the impact. All sectors, including us consumers have a role to play in reducing food waste.
Myth: Reducing food waste sounds nice, but nobody wants to eat carrot greens or onion skins.
Fact: It’s surprising, how many people actually want those recipes! But we get it, not everyone wants to make carrot pesto! No problem, there are numerous other ways to reduce food waste. From meal planning and grocery shopping to proper food storage and effectively using best-before dates, there’s something for everyone. The LFHW recipe section has tons of tasty seasonal recipes for using up fresh produce or last night’s leftovers and, of course, there are recipes for pesto and soup stock for those who want it. 😉
Reducing food waste is about finding what works for you.
Myth: Composting is a good way to use uneaten food.
Fact: Composting is great, but it should be the last resort for food that could have been eaten. The energy, water, and resources used to grow, process, and transport food are wasted when food ends up in your compost bin.
Myth: Best Before Dates are a good way to decide what food to keep or toss.
Fact: Best-before dates are about quality, not safety. Many foods are still safe and delicious past their best-before date. Check our Food Storage Guide and use your senses—smell, taste, and look—to assess food before tossing it.
Myth: Committing to preventing food waste takes too much time and can mean you pay more for groceries.
Fact: Reducing food waste can actually save time and money in the long run. Meal planning and proper food storage help avoid last-minute grocery runs and wasted ingredients. Plus, by using what you already have, you’ll spend less overall while making the most of your groceries. Yes, sometimes you may pay a higher per unit price for a grocery item in the name of reducing waste – but in the long run is buying the big container really a bargain if you end up tossing unused portions?
Proven Ways to To Make a Difference
Together, we can make a big difference. Backed by research and successful behaviour change campaigns, LFHW Canada recommends three key strategies for preventing household food waste:
Plan It Out: Prevent waste and save money by planning, mastering portion sizes and practicing savvy shopping tips.
Use It Up: Learn to use up all the food you buy from reviving food that’s past its peak to decoding best before dates to using up leftovers.
Keep It Fresh: Learn the best ways to store fruits, vegetables, and other perishables.
What other challenges or myths about reducing household food waste have you encountered? Let us know so we can help debunk them and help people understand that we all need to make every bite count.
