Up to a third of food grown never makes it to our mouths, and an estimated 1.4 billion tons of food are wasted each year. Confusing expiration dates, oversized portions, and a general disdain for “ugly” plates have contributed to this massive global problem.
While trailblazers like France are enacting policies that make it illegal for large supermarkets to waste food, the rest of the world feels far away from such sweeping change. However, grassroots action is beginning to build up into a larger movement. New documentaries like Anthony Bourdain’s Wasted! The Story of Food Waste shine a light on our wastefulness on big screens as waste-first cookbooks like Scraps, Wilt & Weeds: Turning Wasted Food Into Plenty help home cooks become more mindful of the trash can. All the while, entire expos dedicated to reducing food waste are making their way to cities around the world.