At individual level, food wastage can be reduced by better planning of purchases, timely storage of perishables, serving what can be consumed, and tracking expiration dates of foods and patterns of food you end up through ing away. At community/macro level, strategies may include awareness raising through mass campaigning, as well as research and interventions to reduce food wastage at institutions where groups are served, such as school lunch programs.

At individual level, food wastage can be reduced by better planning of purchases, timely storage of perishables, serving what can be consumed, and tracking expiration dates of foods and patterns of food you end up through ing away. At community/macro level, strategies may include awareness raising through mass campaigning, as well as research and interventions to reduce food wastage at institutions where groups are served, such as school lunch programs.

I agree with Dr. Shah.

"Wasting" of any thing (ex; food) is the output of how much you take (food) for yourself. No one have control on anyone's activity. if peoples can develop there own self-consciousness, then it may be control in the future.

Eating in moderation, and choosing food which is healthy and with lower calorific value will help the individual. Taking care to help yourself with small portions or helpings of food would definitely prevent wastage.

Whole globe has fair share in wasting food

"Americans waste 150,000 tons of food each day – equal to a pound per person

This article is more than 1 year old

Research shows people with healthy diets rich in fruit and vegetables are the most wasteful and calls for better education for consumers

Americans waste about a pound of food per person each day, with people who have healthier diets rich in fruit and vegetables the most wasteful, research has found.

About 150,000 tons of food is tossed out in US households each day, equivalent to about a third of the daily calories that each American consumes. Fruit and vegetables were the most likely to be thrown out, followed by dairy and then meat.

This waste has an environmental toll, with the volume of discarded food equivalent to the yearly use of 30m acres of land, 780m pounds of pesticide and 4.2tn gallons of irrigated water. Rotting food also clogs up landfills and releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

Researchers at the US Department of Agriculture analysed eight years of food data, up to 2014, to see where food is wasted and also what members of the public say they do at mealtimes. The research has been published in Plos One.

Americans would rather be safe than sorry.

Sixty-five percent of people in the Ohio State study said they discarded food because they worry about food poisoning. Of those respondents, 91% said they pay attention to date labels on food.

People think older food and food that’s past its date will make them sick.

But more often than not those dates refer to quality, not safety. And most food-borne illness is caused by contamination along the supply line or improper food handling, not from expired food.

Food-date labeling is confusing at best. What do “use by,” “sell by” and “best before” mean anyway? Probably not “poisonous after.”

Infant formula is the only food product with federal regulation for label dates. Everything else is left up to a patchwork of state and local laws"

( https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/05/30/why-americans-waste-so-much-food/355864001/ )

" It seems like a simple solution: Companies with excess food should just donate it to people in need.

So why don’t they?

Maybe they’re worried about liability. Perhaps they can’t afford to transport the food to where it will do the most good. Or, they’re unsure about the expiration-date labeling and would rather not chance giving away past-due goods.

So what’s to be done?

Plenty, according to a report released Thursday, March 9, by The Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

“Don’t Waste, Donate: Enhancing Food Donations Through Federal Policy” outlines steps the federal government could take to encourage more donations of surplus food.

In 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency issued a domestic goal to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030. This report offers 16 actionable recommendations the authors say will help achieve that mission, including:

• Enhancing liability protections for food donations.
• Improving federal tax incentives for food donations.
• Standardizing and clarifying expiration-date labels.
• Better monitoring and encouraging food donation by federal agencies.
• Modernizing and clarifying food-safety guidance for food donations.

“If even a quarter of the recommendations in the report are embraced and implemented, millions of pounds of wholesome food will make it to those in need instead of clogging up our landfills,” said Emily Broad Leib, director of the Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic and one of the report’s main authors." (https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/dining/2017/03/09/dont-waste-donate-report-outlines-policies-reduce-food-waste/98959300/ )

Everyone has to take an initiative and realise the seriousness of the matter.

Education and culture may have a role to reduce wasted food.

"Solutions of Food Waste

Foremost, precedence should be centered on balancing food production with demand to reduce the problem of food wastage. The first thing is to cut back on the use of natural resources in food production. In hotels, restaurants and the food service industry, risk management tools can be applied.

Such a tool will work towards ensuring managers and chefs only produce and cook food in accordance with demand or the orders made. Producing large batches of food has always resulted in food wastage. So in trying to save food, labor and money, hotels and the entire food service industry should work on the production of small batches or use the cook-to-order option.

The second strategy should be placed on developing efficient technologies and production systems that better storage, harvesting, processing and the distribution processes. Redistribution can be the initial strategy for supplying or distributing more food to where there is need and reducing supply where food is in surplus. Harvesting, storage and processing should also be improved by governments and NGOs by availing subsidies and training on better production practice, especially in developing countries.

Supermarkets, retail food outlets, big restaurants and individual consumers all alike can also work on their own tailored and creative efforts to reduce food footprint. For instance, individual consumers can cut back their food footprint by not necessarily placing high preference on the very best food quality.

At times even the ugly or blemished food items is still edible or can be purchased then used to make dishes like soups. Over-merchandizing can also be reduced to minimize food wastage.

The use of meal plans in preparing food can go a long way in ending food wastage. Consumers should only buy food according to their plans or in small batches to reduce the food that goes to waste due to expiration after long storage periods.

Food recycling efforts are already underway but the technologies and methods used should be bettered. Starch-rich foodstuff such as crisps, bread, biscuits and breakfast cereals can for instance be recycled into high quality feeds for livestock.

The recycling of the food packaging materials can equally reduce over-exploitation of virgin material. If it’s completely unfit for consumption, it can still be converted for other uses instead of being taken to the landfills to emit methane gas.

Campaigns for reducing food footprint can help fishers, farmers, supermarkets, food processors, individual consumers, and the local and national governments to work on strategies for preventing food wastage. The UN and FAO have already launched such a campaign by putting emphasis on “Think Eat Save – Reduce Your Foodprint” campaign slogan. Moreover, with more and more of such campaigns, societies at large will be informed on ways for reducing foodprint and get the real facts about environmental impacts. Ultimately, it will aid in solving the problem of food wastage" ( https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-food-waste.php )

http://www.greenfacts.org/en/food-wastage/

0ther links on RG

.https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_are_the_solutions_for_wasted_food_in_a_college_cafeteria

https://www.researchgate.net/post/How_can_the_food_waste_in_developed_countries_be_systemically_reduced

By taking what the individual needs without waste

We can all play a part in reaching the national food waste reduction goal – to reduce food waste by 50% by the year 2030. Start using these tips today to reduce food waste, save money, and protect the environment.

Read more on below link

https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/tips-reduce-food-waste

I agreee with afraa ibrahim

Thanks dear colleagues for your valuable input !

Another thing that may help when eating at the restaurant: take all your remaining food as take out, as you can share it with a friend or eat it later ..

By increasing the price of food to make it more valued. Just bringing it to the real price with externalities incead of subsidising the farmeers will help a lot (and help also farmers rely on their work, not subsidies). We pay for it anyway, whether when buyung the food or paying taxes.

Education and again education.

However, law can help with two approaches: legally binding and punishment for food wastage or helping the reuse as food/feed.

I prefer the second approach plus education; it will have a permanent impact on the society, although it will not be easy.

When cooking, don't over-serve food. ..

Thanks @Maham Muzamil for sharing this informative illustration!

I do agree with you dear @Roberto Molteni, that besides education and awareness, each society can incorporate 2 steps approach to enforce its specific rules:

1- to encourage food preservation as step 1,

2- but then if the individual continues to waste resources, step 2 should include some form of punishment.

I had the same experience in the past till I noticed that " food recycling" is a very good idea.

You may check this link for details on how to reduce food waste:

https://www.thinkeatsave.org/top-tips-on-reducing-food-waste/

Some restaurants have arrangements with charity organizations to collect the leftover food in well packaged containers and distribute to those who want..

A hotel used this place cards to sensitize that people take less food on their plate from the buffet. https://www.luzernerzeitung.ch/zentralschweiz/luzern/monopol-verschwendung-um-ueber-50-prozent-reduziert-ld.99876

In restaurants it is also helpful if they offer smaller portion sizes for people who don't have huge appetite. Of course if someone would not eat everything it is always possible to pack it for taking it away.

Food which was not yet on a plate, as for example from retailers or bakeries can be sold for a cheaper price via an app. People see on the app which "app-partner" has food which would be wasted if it is not sold and they can than buy it and pick it up.

https://toogoodtogo.com/en

Buy exactly what you need and Be realistic .

Thanks @Jacqueline Ribeli for sharing this, I do hope more hotels and restaurants use such reminders..

Real ways you can reduce food waste:

• Shop smart and realistically.

• When cooking, don't over-serve food

• Save – and actually eat – leftovers.

• Store food in the right places.

• Avoid clutter in your fridge, pantry and freezer.

• Treat expiration and sell-by dates as guidelines.

• Keep track of what you throw away.

• Donate to food banks and farms.

• Use helpful apps and gadgets.

• Try composting, but don't focus on it.

For my best wishes.

Prof.Afaf-Haniem.M.Ramadan

The restaurants can also cut down the quantity of food served at wasted food prices. Better still they cut down the prices too. In other words, just a sizable portion per meal. Sanctions could also help to drive home the awareness suggested by colleagues. Someone must be made to know that if food wastage is reported at your restaurant or hotel, there would be repercussions.

The concept of pay-by-weight, is a concept where the customer pays for the weight of the food. Eg. Base rate+weight=price per plate.

Thanks @Dinesh Abeyewickreme,

I think this pay-by-weight is a good idea!

Yes, it will help to reduce cost and if you have the calories per item, will also be an healthy solutions for the customer.

Interesting solutions:

https://youtu.be/fRovHP4eXyM

Interesting question.

Implementation of Personal Integrated Food Management System at home)!

Dear Mohamad-Hani Temsah ,

Dear scholars the question really inspire profound reflexion.

Thank you all for your respective contributions

Overall replies focuses on Mass campaign couple with Individual food management system.

Can someone propose a protocol to implement this?

People should behave responsibly and get the exact quantity they would eat and not to discard. They shouldn't include food stuff they are not family with.

We need just to be fair in every thing.

Food sharing and consumer behaviour

Any person should not be greedy.

Company level: I have seen some restaurant implementing "paying for your leftovers" e.g. if there is leftover on your plate of edible food you need to pay money to them. You can go as many time for food, but I noticed each time people do not take large portions. Very efficient in reducing restaurants food waste. So 1st is portion control.

They can also introduce separate bins for wet and dry waste. Dry waste might be able to be redistributed for the homeless.

Individual level: 2nd is a doggy bag or reusable bag, for example, those foldable silicone ones that fit almost any bag.

On municipality level: educational campaigns, improved separation. Also, national scale example can be France banning food waste and fees they applied.