Investigating food waste

• New lesson editor
• Food
• Primary Education
• Age 5-13

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Explain what food waste is

• Identify common examples of food waste at home, school, or work.

• Recognise simple ways to prevent food waste

• Use leftovers creatively to make new meals

Learning goals

Learning goals

After this lesson, students will be able to....

1. Explain what food waste is.

2. Identify common examples of food waste.

3. Recognise simple ways to prevent food waste.

4. Use leftovers creatively to make new meals.

What is Food Waste?

Food Waste is any edible food that is discarded, lost, or left uneaten at any stage of the food supply chain, from farm production to household consumption.

Where does our food waste come from?

1. Forgetting about food we stored away.

2. Throwing out extra food from a meal.

3. Letting the food go past its expiration date.

https://food.ec.europa.eu/food-safety/food-waste/frequently-asked-questions-reducing-food-waste-eu_en- food waste definition

How often is leftover food from your home thrown away?

1

Never

2

A few times per week

3

Every day

4

A few times per day

Households generate 219,000 tonnes of food waste, costing roughly €700 per year per household!

60% of all food waste happens right at the household level

bread, fruit, vegetables, and dairy products are among the foods commonly thrown away in households.

Washing strawberries as soon as you bring them home can make them go mouldy faster if they stay wet. Keep them dry in the fridge and wash them just before eating!

Facts about food waste: Tap to discover!

Households

Cost

Commonly wasted foods

Did you know?

- storing conceptions

What are the most commonly wasted foods in your home?

What resources are wasted when we waste food

A

None

B

Money

C

Water

D

Land

Meal prepping

Using leftovers

Planning and preparing meals to be eaten throughout the week.

By using leftover foods such as rice, chicken, and vegetables, you can create a new delicious meal.

Prepare ingredients ahead of time to make cooking easier. For example, chop vegetables for stir-fries, cook a batch of rice for meals during the week or prepare overnight oats for breakfast. Divide meals into portions and store them in airtight containers in the fridge or freezer. Remember to label them with the date!

Tips for meal prepping

Using leftovers: Egg-fried rice    

With a little oil, fry vegetables in a hot pan.

Add in leftover cold, cooked rice, and 2 tbsp of soy sauce.

Cook and scramble 2 eggs in the pan and stir!

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2

3

Stir-frying cooks vegetables quickly in a hot pan with a little oil. Keep stirring so they cook evenly. You can use whatever vegetable you have available!

Use rice that has been cooled quickly and refrigerated within one hour. Keep it in the fridge and use it within 24 hours.

Useful tips for Egg fried-rice:

Tap to discover!

Scramble the eggs until fully cooked, then mix them through the rice so everything is piping hot throughout.

Rice tips

Vegetables

Tips for eggs

Using leftovers: Chicken Caesar wrap

Combine diced leftover cooked chicken, fresh lettuce, mayonnaise, and cheese into a bowl.

Transfer the ingredients onto a warm tortilla.

Wrap up tightly, folding the ends so everything stays in place.

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1

3

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9. On a scale of 1-10 how likely are you to recommend this digital resource to another family?

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