For experienced party hosts, this is a common phrase when it comes to food. And it was uttered at the Memorial Day party I attended, which led to a discussion about leftovers as food was cleaned up – some packaged for guests to take home, others tossed in the trash.
Leftovers tend to elicit love/hate reactions. In a country where nearly 40 percent of all food is wasted, those who dislike leftovers contribute to the roughly 39 percent of all food waste happening in our homes. The other 61 percent results from commercial food waste.
As I reflected on the conversation, I was struck by the lack of knowing what it means to throw away food. Many people might not give a second thought to, or even understand, what they are throwing away … they just don’t like eating leftovers. This assessment might be confusing given the sense national media lead one to believe “everyone” is concerned with climate change and food security.
But based on my very informal and unscientific “focus group” that did include a diverse age range, there was little regard to what was being thrown away. It’s not just the end food product – let’s say a pasta salad.
It’s the land, seed, pesticides, fertilizers, fuel, equipment, labor and other inputs used to grow, harvest, transport, process, store and dispose of the food dish.
My involvement in the agricultural industry gives me a unique vantage point, but it’s much like pushing a boulder uphill when you’re the only one in the room with that background. So how can we change the conversation from “it’s better to have too much than not enough” to “it’s better to have just enough than too much”?
From my perspective, it starts with a consistent voice, which I realize is a huge hurdle given different thoughts around climate change and the role of agriculture in helping fortify the future of our planet. But let’s take the emotion out of it and focus on simplifying the facts behind food waste. When we throw away food, we throw away everything that went into growing, transporting and making that food.
If you’re ready to build a story around minimizing food waste for your organization, let’s talk.
And if you’re averse to leftovers, strive to have “just enough instead of too much” when planning your next party menu, or even your next dinner menu.
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