15 Quick Tips for Reducing Food Waste and Becoming a Food Hero

Instead of throwing away your food scraps, compost them. This way you are giving nutrients back to the soil and reducing your carbon footprint.

9. Respect food

Food connects us all. Re-connect with food by knowing the process that goes into making it. Read about food production and get to know your farmers.

10. Support local food producers

By buying local produce, you support family farmers and small businesses in your community. You also help fight pollution by reducing delivery distances for trucks and other vehicles.

11. Keep fish populations afloat

Eat fish species that are more abundant, such as mackerel or herring, rather than those that are at risk of being overfished, like cod or tuna. Buy fish that has been caught or farmed sustainably, such as eco-labelled or certified fish.

12. Use less water

We can’t produce food without water! While it’s important that farmers use less water to grow food, reducing food waste also saves all the water resources that went into producing it. Reduce your water intake in other ways too: fixing leaks or turning off the water while brushing your teeth!

13. Keep our soils and water clean

Some household waste is potentially hazardous and should never be thrown in a regular rubbish bin. Items such as batteries, paints, mobile phones, medicine, chemicals, fertilizers, tires, ink cartridges, etc. can seep into our soils and water supply, damaging the natural resources that produce our food.

14. Eat more pulses and veggies

Once a week, try eating a meal based on pulses or ‘ancient’ grains like quinoa.

15. Sharing is caring

Donate food that would otherwise be wasted. For example, Apps can connect neighbours with each other and with local businesses so surplus food can be shared, not thrown away.

On 29 September 2020, we celebrate the first observance of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. It also comes during the global COVID-19 pandemic, that has brought about a wake-up call on the need to transform and rebalance the way our food is produced and consumed. Wasting less, eating better and adopting a sustainable lifestyle are key to building a world free of hunger.

Little changes to our daily habits can make a huge global impact. Take action. Stop food loss and waste. For the people and for the planet.

Learn more

• Interactive Story: The State of Food and Agriculture 2019: Moving forward on food loss and waste reduction
• Website: Community of Practice on Food Loss Reduction
• Website: Technical Platform on the Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste
• Story: Three smart ways innovation is helping reduce food loss and waste
• Story: Food is much more than what is on our plates

2020 Human Wrongs Watch