The hidden cost of food wastage
aww.com.au
Sydney, Australia, Thursday 2 July 2009: Research conducted by The Australian Women’s Weekly website
aww.com.au has shown that, annually, 70 per cent of those surveyed are throwing out up to $1,040 worth of food each year.
The survey of more than 600 people* revealed that nine out of 10 Australians waste food every week, with 88 per cent of those surveyed indicating they felt guilty or frustrated about the wastage. Fifteen per cent of respondents named lettuce as their most underused food and 10 per cent routinely throw out bread at the end of each week. Unexpected plans or not eating leftovers were the most common reasons given for not using all of the food purchased.
Robyn Foyster, Editor-In-Chief of The Australian Women’s Weekly, said, "In such challenging economic times, it's quite an eye-opener to see so much food wastage in our country - $300 each a year is equivalent to an entire week's worth of groceries for some families.
"It's little wonder that 89 per cent of respondents also told us they are more conscious of ways to save money, including using all the ingredients they purchase each week when food shopping."
aww.com.au also found that:
- 70 per cent of people surveyed waste up to $1040 per year
- One in five people admitted to binning a minimum of $11 worth of food each week – more than $572 a year.
- Mushrooms were the other least kept vegetable with 17 per cent of respondents admitting to disposing of them at the end of the week, while peas were the longest lasting, with only 3 per cent of respondents routinely throwing them out.
- Eggs are the food that the Aussies surveyed most commonly have on hand most commonly (16 per cent), followed by tomatoes (9 per cent), flour (8 per cent) and milk (7 per cent).
- Potatoes (62 per cent) and carrots (47 per cent) were the most common staple vegetables bought for cooking.
- Chicken is the most popular meat used for cooking (86 per cent), followed by beef (51 per cent).
- Australians named quinoa, okra, dukkah, zatar and tamarind as the some of the most unusual ingredients in their cupboards.
- Cold cuts, such as ham or salami, are the most wasted meat, with one in two people admitting to throwing them away.
In response to Australians’ concerns about food wastage,
aww.com.au has introduced the Meal Maker – an interactive tool to help cooks create culinary feasts from whatever ingredients are on hand, giving people the most relevant recipes from thousands of options. People just type in one or more ingredients and, at the click of a button, they’re given a host of ideas to help use them best.
"Meal Maker provides inspirational recipes based on the ingredients you have in your cupboard, minimising waste, saving time and maximising the weekly food dollar," explains Foyster.
“The Australian Women’s Weekly is synonymous with fantastic recipes and wholesome, nutritional food, so the relaunch of our
website provides a fantastic platform to introduce Meal Maker to many Australians who find themselves scratching their heads when it comes to meal time and limited ingredients.”
Meal Maker and the Surprise Me feature, both found on the new
aww.com.au website, could revolutionise the way you cook at home.
Aww.com.au's extensive Food section also features innovative and practical ideas for your kitchen, including thousands of recipes, all carrying The Australian Women’s Weekly triple-tested for quality guarantee.
Visit
aww.com.au for handy tips on cooking, family, beauty, diet and health, plus great stories of inspiration from here and around the world.
-ENDS-
*Survey was conducted online on ninemsn Lifestyle.
