Should I scrape leftovers into the bin or use them as ingredients for tomorrow’s meal? Did I check my fridge before going grocery shopping to avoid overbuying? Are odd-shaped fruit and vegetables good to eat?
Every day we are faced with choices that can take a significant and unnecessary toll on natural resources, contribute to climate change and jeopardize food security. Food loss and waste, due to inadequate storage facilities or from choices made by retailers and consumers, impacts us all.
, Programme, the Permanent Missions of Andorra and San Marino to the United Nations, Rethink Food and Collective Fare Kitchen have come together to celebrate the inaugural in an unconventional way.
Delegates from Permanent Missions visited a food bank in Brooklyn where they discussed how food recovery efforts are easing pressure on food security and nutrition caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Chefs from Collective Fare and Rethink Food walked delegates through the process of using repurposed ingredients and helped them prepare a healthy meal with food that would otherwise have gone to waste.
In New York, and partners such as Collective Fare collect every month thousands of pounds of food that would have otherwise gone to waste to create nutritious meals for people in need. During the pandemic, Rethink Food partnered with 40 restaurants to produce 200 to 1,500 meals/day.
Before the pandemic, many government and non-government actors were already investing in food banks, food pantries and popular restaurants among others to simultaneously reduce food loss and waste and increase availability of food for vulnerable and poor populations. The need for food assistance has increased with COVID-19. ?At the same time, the pandemic has disrupted food recovery systems that were in place. Around the world, organizations had to quickly adapt their operations and respond to a new reality and growing needs.
We must build back better. As lockdowns ease, let us keep in mind that we all have a role to play in reducing food loss and waste. Let’s build a more sustainable future for all.
