With household food waste spiking by 30% during the holiday season, Australians are being urged to embrace simple habits that could cut food waste by 60%.
The Great Unwaste, the movement led by not-for-profit End Food Waste Australia (EFWA), recently ran a national experiment that revealed adopting just two to three simple habits can reduce food waste by an average of 60% in just one week, with some families achieving reductions as high as 78%.
The experiment shines a light on a pressing issue: Australians currently discard 2.5 million tonnes of food annually, the equivalent of 7.7 million meals wasted a day.
Over the festive season, this figure jumps by approximately 30%, translating to over 10.3 million meals going to waste over the holiday season.
“The trial showed that significant change is not only possible but achievable with a small, evidence-backed actions making an out-sized impact on reducing food waste at home,” says EFWA
Participants tested a range of simple behaviours, including:
- Storing food the right way
- Flexible meal planning
- Enjoying leftovers
- Eating the oldest items first
- Buying, making and serving the right amount
“The holiday season is time for hosting families and friends but when we’re entertaining, we can often feel pressured to buy and prepare more than we need,” says EFWA Campaign Director Mandy Hall.
“That’s where The Great Unwaste comes in. The goal is simple – we want to ease family budgets, ensure food gets to those who need and protect the planet. No blame, no shame just practical, proven ways to help. If we can help Australians reduce food waste and make a real difference that would be the greatest outcome and holiday gift we could imagine.”