2023-04-20 12:07:22
The Dutch threw away an average of 33.4 kilos of food per person last year. Although this is slightly less than before, the decline is stagnating. Bread, fruit and vegetables most often end up in the rubbish bin. Together they account for almost half of the food thrown away.
The Nutrition Center sifts through citizens’ garbage bags every three years and announces the results on Thursday. In 2019, the counter stood at 34.3 kilos. “The decrease now is actually not significant, there is not much you can say regarding that,” notes Toine Timmermans, food waste expert at Wageningen University & Research (WUR). “We have now reached a level where it is more difficult to further reduce waste. Everyone is aware that we have had the quick wins. So it is positive in itself if it remains regarding the same level.”
Stronger measures are needed to further reduce food waste, scientists from WUR advise Minister of Agriculture Adema. In 2030, consumers should only throw away 21.6 kilos per year, which is the goal that the Netherlands has set itself. That is a half compared to 2015.
Call to companies
There is the foundation Together Against Food Waste, in which companies and government combat throwing away. But Timmermans sees that we have to step it up a notch, the road to 20 kilos is still a long one. “We call on companies, such as supermarkets, and the government to do more. Then the problem can be tackled more structurally.”
Placing the ball in the hands of the consumer is not just the solution. “We are past that stage. People are aware of this, but they also need to start wasting less. Tips can of course help, as can the ongoing ‘look, smell, taste’ campaign. This is for products with a ‘best before’ date. The campaign encourages people to use their senses to determine whether something is still good.”
It should become easier for consumers to throw less in the rubbish bin. “Supermarkets can offer smaller portions. That is already happening, but more can be done. You also see that meal kits work, they contain exactly what you need. In addition, changes in legislation are imminent. Brussels is looking into whether the rules for dates on the packaging, such as ‘best before’, can be made more flexible.
“If your fridge is set at 1 degree, the bag of lettuce will keep longer than at 6 degrees. There are also experiments with a smart sensor that can measure the shelf life of products.” It also helps that from 2026 large companies will be jointly responsible for the entire journey their products take, from making to what the consumer does with them.
Small portions
It is doubtful whether throwing away bags of pre-cut vegetables helps. There is also a chance that half of that whole head of lettuce that the consumer buys instead will eventually rot, thinks Timmermans. “Some target groups will be willing to do more themselves. But for the largest group you have to make it easy.” Timmermans acknowledges that offering small portions creates a new dilemma – it results in more plastic packaging.
“There now seems to be a trend towards larger packaging once more due to the desire to reduce plastic. But the impact of the packaging on climate and the environment only accounts for 5 percent, the rest comes from growing, making and transporting the product itself. Of course you also have to do something regarding the plastic problem, use it smartly and recycle more. But the profit of offering small portions is greater.”
The link to the climate problem can further help the fight once morest food waste, thinks Timmermans. “It is being laid more and more often and it stimulates people’s motivation. It is in the top three things that people can do themselves once morest climate change.”
How do you throw away less food?
Organizations such as the Netherlands Nutrition Center and Milieu Centraal give many tips to throw away less food. A grip.
– It starts before the hallway to the store. What’s left in the cupboard, fridge and freezer? See what goes first. Keep leftover food together and in plain sight. Always make a list and also include quantities, such as 400 grams of green beans. Frame makers throw away up to 9 kilos less food.
– Cook to size. A scale is indispensable in the kitchen. Especially with pasta or rice, too much ends up in the pan. Value packs seduce, but is it really worth it? Buy fresh stuff several times a week, not all at once.
– It seems illogical, but not everything is best kept in the fridge. Tomatoes and cucumbers, for example, keep better outside. The temperature of the refrigerator is best set at 4 degrees, advises the Nutrition Center. That gives bacteria less chance.
– There are many suggestions on what to do with leftovers. For example, have a hot lunch with leftover food. Use small amounts of vegetables in an omelette. Freeze portions for later. Many recipes for cooking with leftovers circulate on the Internet. Enter a few leftover ingredients and a dish rolls out.
Read also:
We still throw away kilos of food, this is how you prevent that
Stale bread, leftover pasta, half peppers; at least 10 percent of the food we buy ends up in the wheelie bin. In the Wastage-free Week there are enough tips to change that.
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