Don’t Waste Your Food

I was having dinner with my fiancé the other day, and at the end of our meal, I noticed something that has become pretty common for us. We ordered more food than we could eat, so we threw out the rest of our food. A similar thing happens each time I clean out my refrigerator. I notice food that I haven’t gotten around to eating. The food got old, so I threw it out.

Here’s the problem: I buy extra food that I end up throwing out, while other people in the world starve to death because they don’t have enough to eat.

We’ve all heard the parent who scolds the child who won’t finish their dinner, and reminds them about starving children in Africa. The underlying message is: “Finish your plate!”

Here in the United States, however, we have a tendency to eat too much food. So maybe the message shouldn’t be “Finish your plate!” but rather “Eat less! Buy less!”

What would it look like to share a meal with your partner or family when you go out to dinner? What would it look like to buy only what you need at the grocery store—and then go back if necessary? What would it look like to save the money you would spend on extra food and give it to a family in need?

Don’t waste your food!