While food insecurity is being felt across the nation due to the rising cost of living, new research from Kellogg Australia has revealed we have a food waste problem, with almost half the country (47%) admitting to wasting food at least once a week.
With over 7.6 million tonnes of food wasted every year across our farms, factories and at our tables, the new research shows Australians perceive the younger generations as being more wasteful than their older counterparts as over a third (35 per cent) of Australians believe Gen Z are the most wasteful generation.
The majority of Australians (83 per cent) feel guilty about wasting food, so Kellogg Australia has teamed up with Yume, Australia’s number one platform for surplus food management, along with social media foodie grandma, Nonna Fina, to host the ‘Nonna’s Never Waste’ workshop.
The Nonna’s Never Waste workshop is designed to tap into the knowledge and know-how of the older generation, who are seen as the most conscious when it comes to food waste (27 per cent), to encourage more sustainable habits, help households reduce food waste, store food more effectively and be creative with leftovers.
Nonna Fina said, “I’ve grown up with an appreciation for food, and the delicious produce Australia has to offer – it’s a shame for it to go to waste. I feel it’s my duty to impart some of my waste wisdom to get the most out of your weekly shop.”
While many Australians are feeling the pinch from cost of living, one in five Aussies (19 per cent) say they throw their leftovers straight into the bin. While the majority of Aussies (79 per cent) put their leftovers in the fridge, almost a quarter (23 per cent) forget about them, throw the leftovers out after a day or change their mind on eating them. Only eight per cent of Aussies use their leftovers to make new recipes over the course of a few days.
Anthony Holme, managing director at Kellogg Australia, said: “At Kellogg, we’re committed to minimising food waste. This includes repurposing food within our manufacturing plant, selling surplus or short shelf-life stock via the Yume platform, and donating cereal and snacks to our partners such as Foodbank or sending food that can’t be consumed by people to be used as animal feed.
We also want to help households reduce food waste in the home, which is why we’re excited to tap into the knowledge and know-how of the older generation to encourage more sustainable food habits with our Nonna’s Never Waste workshop.”
The Nonna’s Never Waste workshop comes at a time when only half (50 per cent) of Australians say they are only somewhat confident on how to store food and use leftovers, and two thirds of these Australians (67 per cent) say more education on how to store food and leftovers to keep them fresh would help people waste less food.
Camila Cantoli, head of innovation at Yume, said “At Yume, our purpose is to help manufacturers reduce their food waste, but steps can be taken to reduce waste all along the food chain – which is why initiatives such as the Nonna’s Never Waste workshop are so important.
By tackling food waste and addressing food insecurity at the same time, we’re calling on all food manufacturers like Kellogg to join us on our vision of a world without waste.”
Nonna Fina finishes, “I hope I can help all Australians waste less in the kitchen and are inspired to get creative with what they have left over – don’t forget to ask your nonna for her tips too!”
