Agriculture Month: Practicing sustainable food habits from our kitchen tables
The month of October is recognized as Agriculture Month in Saskatchewan. With this, comes the opportunity to not only highlight the industry but to focus on safe and sustainable food produced from the farm to the table.
While Canada prides itself on producing nutritious, safe and high quality food, there are everyday things that the average person/family can do to ensure food safety, preventing waste and ensuring sustainability.
According to the Toronto Food Policy Council, $31 billion worth of food is wasted each year. This is approximately 40% of food produced yearly in Canada. “Approximately 47% of food wasted in Canada occurs at home. The other 53% of wasted food is generated along the value chain when food is produced, processed, transported, sold, and prepared and served in commercial and institutional settings.” They went on to say that, “Approximately 80% of consumer food waste was once perfectly edible.”
Laura Monchuk, founder and editor of saskmom.com was the featured ‘food story’ for Ag Month and says there are cost-effective, nutritious ways for individuals and families to reduce food waste and ensure sustainability.
“Farmers, ranchers, the processors and grocers use new technologies and best practices to bring food to our kitchens in a very sustainable and affordable manner. I was shocked to learn that $31 billion worth of food ends up in the landfill or compost each year right here in Canada. Almost half of that food waste is happening in our homes. When I saw that, I thought, even though the farmers and ranchers are doing what they can to ensure sustainability in our homes, we are not practicing sustainable food habits,” she said.
Laura noted that the consumer has to also play a role in food sustainability by employing good and sustainable food practices that will prevent waste. “It is estimated that the world might need approximately 50% more food by 2050 and it is important to realize that we as consumers can also be part of that solution in our very own kitchens. Another thing is affordability. Food production now is being done in an affordable manner but when we waste our produce (1 in 4 produce items thrown away), we waste $600 worth of produce per family for the year [just over $1400 worth of food in general wasted each year per family/household, according to the Council].” Laura says that there are daily habits that families can use to ensure food is not wasted in the home. She says if these practices are utilized, people will be able to manage food that goes in and out of the home in a way that prevents waste and become sustainable over time.
“There are a few things to do that seem simple to prevent waste in having sustainable food:
• Have meal plans where you can actually purchase food that you know your family will be home for. From this, even with leftovers, instead of throwing them out, you can use them to make another meal.
• Do not buy bulk of perishable food items you know you’re not going to consume within a period of time.
• Keep an inventory of what is in the freezer to know what you’re using and what you’re not using. We have to become inventory managers of our own food. Visit Laura’s blog at saskmom.com for more tips and information.