I read that it’s because of the drought in California
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I just watched a new food waste documentary on Hulu! It’s called “Wasted! The story of food waste”. I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t all doom and gloom the world is ending, it’s more about how to get more out of our food and food system and making an impact ourselves. Love me a good uplifting documentary on a subject I am passionate about.
Not even kidding it might be my dream job to open a food reclamation grocery store/restaurant. I would love to be able to help reduce the food waste in our world, provide affordable delicious food to those who need it, and improve my cooking skills. Completely selfish endeavor. Now for figuring out how to make this dream a reality in the next 20 years……
Seriously though. Most people can save THOUSANDS of dollars if they just reduced their food waste.
It is such a complex problem with so many layers and the best part is there are very practical solutions to this issue.
Omg the cutest part- they went to a school that had a garden. They set compost buckets on the lunch tables and the kids were involved with compost and growing food. They looked so happy and excited about it. I’ve never seen a kid so delighted to be eating broccoli or radishes.
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In my elementary school we put all the food waste into the “pig bucket” and someone who worked at the school brought it home to feed their pigs
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I’m pretty sure my school system sold the compostables to a local farmer, because we always scraped our plates into a slop bin.
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Food waste is an area of interest for me too. I’ll check that movie out. And I fully agree on the individual cost of food waste. In general it’s such a controllable line item in the budget but it’s one of those things that gets so much push back. I would like to teach classes at your reclamation grocery store to help people fall in love with food and cooking. I really think I could do it for at least some people! It’s amazing how little the sensory experience of cooking is discussed. Or the meditative aspect. The way it puts you exactly in the time you’re in, in the moment. And how it gives you freedom and a passport to experience flavors from all over the world. Plus how it can help build community and give you a way to do something so wanted and needed for people around you.
I think so much of the block around kitchen stuff (and other homemaking tbh) is that people have decided they hate it and I think they also look down on it (based on responses I get to “what do you do for work?”). If you think of something as drudgery that’s beneath you, and like, something you shouldn’t have to do or that you want to do as little of as possible, you’re probably not going to get beyond mediocre at it.
There are so many ways to look at one thing and it’s possible to open yourself up to thinking more affectionately towards different things, which I know because I’ve done it over and over. But this idea is kind of hard for a lot of people, especially if their world view is highly western, because they take it as like- and affront to individuality? Like you’re telling them to change the fabric of who they are or doing some weird forced positivity thing, but it’s like…if that’s you’re reaction to the suggestion of simply openness of just being a little open to changing your mind? I think that speaks volumes!
What I would like to do if I were really wealthy is create something like blue apron with two tracks: ready to eat OR meal kit style. And it would be free and delivered right to the door of people who actually need it, and who really and truly don’t have time to cook because they are living a way harder life on the daily. I think that would be cool. Especially if they could choose the menu themselves, just like the commercial versions allow! I also wish there weren’t all the restrictions on food stamps but that’s another story. It makes no sense to me that we don’t allow people who are working so hard to purchase pre-made foods, like rotisserie chickens. Like who needs that product more than someone who is on food stamps? No one, that’s who. I could go on forever so I’ll stop, lol.
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One of the other interesting things I was discussing with Mr. ninja last night for food waste is there is totally an elitist attitude on “I’m better than second hand food” for some people. I heard someone describe leftovers as “used food” and therefore would refused to eat them. My jaw hit the floor.
Because food waste exists in SO many layers (from the farms, grocery stories, restaurants, households, etc.) I think there are others solutions to food waste for these folks - for the elitist people, focus on the farm waste and try to appeal to their exclusive tastes by marketing different parts of the plants or animals that are being wasted.
There are some people obsessed with the freshest and purest ingredients and I’m not sure how to effectively change their perspective. So if you can’t beat them join them!
One of the guys in the documentary said “we aren’t using the greatest tool in our tool belt to solve this issue - CAPITALISM!” If we can show people and companies how it benefits them financially to make these changes that is the ticket to widespread success. People won’t make this change based on environmental reasons alone.
One company in England is replacing 1/3 of their barley for wasted bread to make their craft beer! Yay profits! Yay environment!
General Mills created an anaerobic digester for their wasted milk and is saving $2.4M/year on energy costs (Greek yogurt produces 1 gallon of product for 3 gallons of milk so lots of waste).
One final comment - I saw a post the other day on Instagram that said “what can the sobriety movement learn from the vegans?” The answer was vegans changed from “meat is murder” to “plant based” and got way more people involved in that diet. People don’t want to be shamed or feel like they are missing out on things, and the vegans used this very well. Only a few people converted to vegetarian or vegan with the “meat is murder” campaign but now it is very normal for even meat eaters to talk about eating plant based or substituting a few meals per week for vegan options. The connection to sobriety is they didn’t want to be “alcohol free” because that is a negative association with alcohol. They want to phrase it as a wonderful and healthful option to choose other delicious drinks and experience community.
So what can the food waste movement learn from the vegans? Don’t shame people into wasting less food, show them why it benefits them directly and selfishly.
I love your meal box idea, let’s build it into the restaurant model!!
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This is great. I never even noticed the meat is murder/plant based messaging change.
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I have also met people who won’t eat leftovers and it’s…beyond weird to me. It is almost never anyone who has restaurant experience because it depends on the misunderstanding that all restaurant food is made the day of. LOL, of course it is not! Lots of what you’re eating in a restaurant are leftovers or even remade leftovers. That’s usually what the specials are! The things that are about to go off. The other major area of waste is in the restaurant delivery itself. I think it’s interesting that that’s not talked about very much. Like it requires a huge amount of waste (plastic and gas, usually) to order individual meals many times a week- especially compared to one car trip to the store and then cooking. I think there is entitlement around that too, though, like the idea that no planning should be required to fulfill desires? Or maybe it’s more like lack of faith in yourself, like that you couldn’t possibly do that for yourself? IDK.
I agree with leading with something joyful rather than the idea of guilt though, haha, after I’ve just gone on about waste. But I think enjoyment will always be a better motivator than guilt. And to me it has very little to do with morality overall and a lot more to do with lost opportunities. Lost opportunities to save money and reduce waste, sure, but even bigger the lost opportunity of missing out on something really beautiful that almost everyone can afford to engage with. I often think of this quotation, from one of my favorite books, “we are all for three square meals a day, and there are few things from which we, and most people we know, get more fun.” When you read older books it’s a given that food is this opportunity for joy and that even though preparing it can be laborious it’s worth it because it’s one of the few exciting and beautiful things that happens many times a day, every day, and that everyone has to engage with on some level (since we all eat).
I think some types of cooking media have strangled the fun out food! They make it seem so complicated and fraught and I think we should teach cooking with the primary focus being enjoyment of the process. And I think that’s only possible for beginners if you keep the food really simple. One trend I find very interesting is the explosion of youtube channels that are like, aesthetic living? Sometimes they are labeled as slow living or cottage core or ASMR or “relaxing whatever video” but there are so many and they get lots of views. I started watching them a while ago and my first thought was. “oh! these are showcasing mindfulness!” and I think that is what draws people in. Food plays a big role in a lot of the videos too and I just think…if you have 15 minutes to watch someone make avocado toast, and it relaxes you because of the beautiful green avocado and the juicy red tomatoes, and the crisp sound of the toast, and the gentle cutting motion of the knife on the board…like…you can actually do that IN REAL LIFE! And it’s even better because you can smell it and touch it!
Haha, I get overly passionate about enjoyment in daily life. I really think it could help people and I think it’s so clear there is a deep want for it. Because if there weren’t millions of people wouldn’t be watching quiet videos of a woman’s hands cutting flowers or pouring coffee or making simple meals. But they are! People really want to feel that feeling and I feel it all the time, every day, especially while cooking! I have so many favorite moments in each meal.
Risotto is one of my favorite meditations. I think of it like feeding the rice slowly. It’s not difficult to make at all if you are paying attention. First I love the part where you begin with butter and garlic because the smell is intoxicating. Then I love the part where you put the rice in with the butter and you can literally watch as each grain turns opalescent. They transform, and when they are done transforming into tiny edible pearls that’s when you add broth little by little. And you keep adding until they soak it all up and you stir them around so it’s fair to everyone. You know it’s done when you drag your wooden spoon across the bottom and you can see the grains fight to get back together slowly, like viscous magma.
And it’s like, that just one dish! Every dish has so many moments like that, even a simple salad or sandwich. All of that is before you even eat, too! Why skip right to the finale is my feeling! That’s what makes me want to cook most, it’s that I love it. I love the process and the feeling and the textures and just, all of it. It’s not a to-do item it’s a get-to-do item!
For others I think the fun is in the precision and science of it, and I think that view is widely represented and the dominant one in food writing right now. But I think it appeals only to a certain type of person. It also requires a lot more time and equipment. The visceral part is a bit absent and I think it scares people off with all the specifics and warnings and rigidity. It insists on approaching cooking like an academic school subject, which again works to spark joy in some, but it’s not the only way to think about food!
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I’m solo parenting today so fly by comment. But I used to enjoy and savor cooking. Now I’m screamed at and trying to keep someone from hospitalizing herself while I prepare food and it’s. Far less enjoyable.
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Oh and I struggle a lot with leftovers. Texture but also my dad forced us to eat spoiled food so we wouldn’t waste any. I’m super fucked up about it all now.
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I hope you get to enjoy it again someday soon! There are lots of seasons where it’s not possible or much harder. I’m sorry about what you went through with food scarcity growing up. It sounds really traumatizing and difficult.
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The frustrating thing is there is absolutely no reason for it. We had plenty of money. My dad is just a miser, and he smoked for over a decade so he could never tell when food was bad, and he didn’t believe the rest of us.
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We have reserved screen time for only when I’m cooking dinner. It is impossible otherwise. I now get bossed around - mama go cook dinner. Me watch Daniel Tiger
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This is also when Latte gets her screen time block (and only cartoons). She currently watches tumble leaf as I cook dinner. This does not fully prevent the sobbing and grabbing issue, though. And still leaves breakfast and lunch, and I really don’t like doing that much screen time with her.
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Maybe she can be your little sous chef in a couple of years! 
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I love this but also wanted to point out that you can only get to this point if you really really know the recipe and aren’t anxious about timing or trying to chop the garlic and stir the onions and the same time. I like cooking (except for the part after where there’s dishes) but I’m usually running back and forth from the cutting board to the stove trying to finish cutting up whatever goes in next before the time is up. Or reading the recipe again every 5 minutes to remember what’s supposed to happen next. Fun, but not really mindful.
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My husband has “solved” this by creating a website where he re-enters all his favorite recipes, but re-orders them with ALL of the prep first. All the chopping and gathering and whatever are at the beginning, so he doesn’t get halfway through and go “WTF, when did I chop these diced onions they want me to add?”
It’s definitely helpful for him, he’s not great at scanning recipes for smaller details like that. It’s a lot of pre-work entering recipes and making a whole dang website, though, haha.
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This has been helping a lot with the in-between times, like lunch and snacks. We got montessori knives that cut food but not her, and I give her something to cut on a cutting board and it usually keeps her entertained for a bit.
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Absolutely! Cooking is a real skill that requires a lot of time to get to a high level. I have a lot of respect for it as an art form and craft. That’s why I think the approach to teaching beginners should be very simple and focused on looking and sensing rather than following complex recipes. I would never have a beginner make risotto!
If I were teaching a cooking class I might start with a salad. No stove involved. Just get people comfortable with cutting, rinsing, attention to detail, textures, sizes, seasoning dressings. Can they make up a dressing without a recipe? Teach them how to season little by little, and taste things. The next level might be something like cooking pasta and vegetables. Then maybe a roasted chicken with a side salad and a dressing of choice. I thinks showing that even something like a salad can be joyful (even if you buy the chicken pre-cooked) is a way to make cooking more accessible!
So much of current food stuff is focused on gastronomy or recreations of perfectly authentic meals, which I do enjoy, but that’s not how you have to cook at home. Cooking at home can be incredibly simple and incorporate lots of quick options, like flatbread pizza where you buy the bread and doctor up a can of tomato puree. I also think spice blends are a great for nervous beginners.
I think recipes like that (flatbread pizza, salad, chicken, how to sauté vegetables) are simple enough that a beginner can start to enjoy themselves. If more people learned to cook by making dishes rather than recipes I think this would help a lot because their senses of things would improve. When your senses improve you have less of a need for a rigid recipe that must be done a certain way. The way most beginners structure their meal plans is really shooting themselves in the foot! Too much complexity in each meal, too many different meals, etc. I think teaching recipe cycling would help too, and that was very common in home cooking until really like the 1980s or so. Most home cooks had a rotation!
I’m at a level now where I can enjoy cooking very fast and balancing multiple dishes at a time, but I have also poured years of my life into learning. I also think that’s a different type of enjoyment. Mindfulness doesn’t have to be slow and measured and silent and peaceful! It can be fast and loud and messy too! Like I love cooking with kids, but it is definitely not quiet, or efficient, or clean, haha. But it can still be mindful, I think. There’s an idea of mindfulness or inner peace as being steeped in quietude but I think there are more diverse ways of mindfulness too. You can be mindful of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or be mindful with lots of noise, or super quick and easy things! My favorite thing post surgery or injury is the first time I can make myself something. Usually it’s fast and easy, an egg, or salad, but it feels just, incredible, like a jewel. Nothing beats it! 
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I had no idea these were a thing! Do you have a link or suggestion on finding good ones?
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