Waste Not, Want Not In The World Of Tomorrow

If you’ve been following us on social media, you may be aware that we’re big advocates of reducing food waste. We’ve partnered with a number of not-for-profit organisations and individuals to help raise awareness of this growing problem, and in August we commissioned a poll of 2,000 adults across the UK to find out more about their opinions on food waste. The findings revealed some difficult home truths about our attitudes and behaviour, but the more we talk about it, the more change we can encourage.

We believe that the fight against food waste should begin at home in the kitchen. People should not only enjoy good food but respect it too – which means wasting less.

At Grundig we invest in refrigeration technology designed to preserve your food and keep it as fresh as can be, so you can store it for longer and thus reduce your food wastage.

Click here to find out more

Findings From Our Research
  • Seven in 10 British households admit to throwing away food as many as four times a month, before they’ve had a chance to cook it.
  • A tenth of families dispose of up to 10 items each month that have gone off before being used.
  • Combined with cooking too much per meal, this leads to 2.23 kilograms (equivalent to 2¼ bags of sugar) of food being thrown out monthly that could have been saved.
  • The poll revealed that rather than having a wasteful mentality, almost half of the country’s careless cooks admit to preparing too much food at mealtimes.
  • 47% of the nation say they struggle with portion control – by preparing too much food, or struggling to serve themselves healthy sized portions.

Futurologist James Bellini says: “Given the crucial importance of food issues over the coming decades the level of general awareness and concern is surprisingly low.

“But looking ahead to the 2020s and beyond to the 2030s it seems clear that emerging technologies, changing attitudes and greater commitment within the business and political communities could spark a new era for food, in which tackling waste and providing healthy and wholesome eating for all in a sustainable way will move significantly up the agenda.”

It’s not always straight-forward, however, as 49% of the respondents who took part in our survey don’t bother recycling their food waste, instead sending it straight to the main bin with their other rubbish. It seems people need more of an incentive to recycle their food waste, with 37% of people saying they would recycle more if the wasted food was turned into energy to power their home.

James Bellini concludes: “In the end, technology has an important part to play in solving our food waste crisis, but without the commitment of people to change their attitudes and social outlook it will not be enough.”

The research identified that people cook more food than they need to because of poor portion control and there are certain food types that we throw away more than others. We have created the below lists to help make you aware of these and ensure you prepare the right amount of food and waste less.

Recommended Portion Sizes For An Adult
  • Breakfast cereal: Three tablespoons (30g).
  • Boiled potatoes: Two small (egg sized) boiled potatoes.
  • Rice: Two heaped tablespoons (80g).
  • Pasta: Three heaped tablespoons (80g).
  • Lean meat: 70g cooked meat, about the size of a deck of cards.
  • Fish: 140g cooked dish, about the size of a chequebook.
  • Eggs: Two medium eggs.
  • Pulses: Five tablespoons (cooked).
  • Hard cheese: 25g of cheddar, about the size of a small matchbox.
  • Dried fruit: Two figs, around 40g.
  • Dark green leafy veg: Four heaped cooked tablespoons (80g).
Foods Most Likely To Go Off Before Use
  • Bread
  • Bananas
  • Salad leaves
  • Milk
  • Potatoes
  • Cooked meats
  • Carrots
  • Cream
  • Yoghurt
  • Apples