Food Surplus is Not Waste

One of my biggest pet peeves as a professional in the food space is the term food waste. It is everywhere. Yet food is not waste. Yes, we as humans waste it. But food itself is a precious resource in every stage of its life. Even a rotting inedible banana peel has value in the food system.

Just mentally categorizing it as waste sets food up as something to be managed like trash instead of something to be commoditized like a resource. Now I know my post will probably not change the language of the billions of people who use the term food waste. BUT if you, my friend, will take a moment to rethink how you speak about surplus food, then maybe we can create a ripple.

Surplus food can feed people, feed animals, feed the planet. It has value - nutritional and monetary value. Think about that next time you pay your trash bill, how much value did you just pay someone else to take away for you?

Don’t forget no one else can contribute what you can to this world. Thank you for doing what you can!