26th April is Stop Food Waste Day
Each year, the 26th of April is recognised as Stop Food Waste Day, which is billed as 'the largest single day of action in the fight against food waste.' Observed in countries all over the world, the event exists to raise awareness of the many problems caused by wasting food, as well as to educate people on how to prevent doing so.
Stop Food Waste Day was spearheaded in 2017 by Compass Group USA, which is the global industry leader in the field of food service and facilities management. According to information released by the World Food Programme, food waste is a factor in some of the biggest challenges faced by the world today, from poverty and hunger to climate change and the health of our oceans and agricultural industries. Three of the most sobering statistics pointed out by Compass Group USA are:
- One-third of all of the food produced around the world each year is wasted. This includes a shocking 45% of all fruit, vegetables and root crops.
- There are an estimated 795 million people in the world today who are undernourished. Just one-quarter of all of the food wasted globally would be enough to feed these people.
- 8% of global emissions of greenhouse gas can be attributed to food waste. This includes the energy wasted on growing, harvesting, processing and cooking, as well as the methane emitted from food waste in landfill sites.
The stated mission of Stop Food Waste Day is to 'ignite change regarding the global food waste issue'. This is achieved by first drawing attention to the pressing issue before 'engaging with society at all levels' to help people find 'practical, creative, and impactful ways' to reduce food wastage. Compass Group USA take a three-pronged approach to the problem:
- PREVENT food waste by ensuring that food is properly stored, planning meals carefully and making sure that every edible part of each ingredient is used.
- INSPIRE other people to waste less food by sharing information about the problems it causes.
- REPURPOSE foods wherever possible, finding new ways to use the ingredients that most often go to waste and redistributing surplus food in local communities.
Another excellent way to prevent food waste is by eating at Jack's Ovens. All of the items on our breakfast and lunch menus, as well as those supplied through our gourmet private catering service, are guaranteed to be so fresh and tasty that you won't want to waste even a single mouthful! Check out our menus on the website and help to stop food waste.