Hello Tunza Readers!

Canada is a relatively abundant country with access to plentiful resources. Despite this, 850,000 Canadians use food banks every month. This statistic is shocking when it is found that $31 billion worth of food ends up in landfills or composters each year. This equates to approximately 40% of the food we produce in Canada. This contributes to the global problem where 1.3 billion tonnes of food get thrown out each year.

One large source of this disposal is from the desire to have ?nice looking? vegetables. Any time there is a defect, such as a bump or an irregular shape, Canadians will not purchase the item despite there being no issue with the vegetable. More than 30% of fruits and vegetables don?t make it to grocery stores alone just because they are not deemed ?attractive?.  In France, it is illegal for supermarkets to waste food and Italy offers tax breaks when businesses donate leftovers. In Canada, there doesn?t seem to be any policies coming anytime soon to stop the disposal of all this food.

Some steps you can take to avoid being a part of the food waste issue is to be more conscious about what you?re shopping for at the grocery store and your inventory at home. Make a list before you go to the store, shop with meals in mind and try to stay disciplined and follow through with your list. At home, check what is in your fridge and cupboards and make meals out of them to avoid disposing them learn about food storage to keep food fresh and safe to eat for longer and make a habit of eating your leftovers instead of disposing of them!

Although no policies have been in Canada yet, you can start making change on your own to avoid being a part of the food waste problem!