ENORMOUS WASTE OF FOOD RESOURCES - JUST IN NSW

[goldfish]

I received this blog this morning - it should make everyone of us cringe with shame at what this nation of ours allows to happen  . . .

To my mind this should be made into a full scale TV documentary . . . . .  .what do you think?

http://www.notquitenigella.com/2012/04/16/food-bank/

[ElleG]

Wow, Goldfish this is so thought provoking. There are so many generous people in Australis, from the volunteers to the farmers to the Corporate sponsors. But, why is such wastage allowed to happen? Is it the monopoly by Coles and Woolies?

And why is a lot of fruit in our supermarkets dreadful? Over summer I gave up on buying stone fruit as so many of them wouldn't ripen. I wonder how long they have been in storeage and what chemicals have been used on them.

And how fortunate we all are to have the money to have a kitchen gadget worth nearly $2,000 tp play with, when so many people are homeless or struggling to provide the basic necessities.

Yes, it would be a great thought provoking TV doco. A lot of us are so comfortable in our lives we just don't realise how bad reality is for so many people.

[Halex]

I have heard this before which is one of the reasons I try & buy as much as I can from Aussie Farmers, butchers & where I can. I rarely buy homebrand products as I feel that Coles & Woolies will take over.

The wastage is terrible. Why they cant sell the products at a lower price, it would then be our choice as to what we buy.

I must admit I find Aussie Farmers to have the freshest fruit & veg.

H

[obbie]

OMG what a waste of good fresh food. The amount of fruit and veges wasted is just wrong.

I try and buy as much as possible direct from farmers stalls, as they do support our business, to keep us going.

  A blemish or mark is nothing on the skin, or shape, who says it has to be perfect.
I need Aussie Farmers to keep us  going.

Woolworths and Coles have a monopoly which is why I try to shop at IGA. Our IGA supports local farmers about 90%.


A lot of farmers I know plough crops back into paddocks, if it costs them to much to pick, and then have to sell under cost to supermarkets, which then add 100% mark up  to produce.  Or they start there own road side stall.
Robyn 

[Delightful Den]

I think we as consumers tend to be part of the problem.  While many of us are not too fussed about a blemish here or there or mis-shapen produce many people are. As consomers we also demand produce all year long not just when it is in season.  Lettuce and tomatoes in winter, cauliflower and brocholli in summer. Apples and pears all year long. 

We have become spoiled by choice.

I have made a few recent trips to America and the situation is worse over there. They sell bags of "baby carrots" that are so uniform in shape and size it is blatently obvious that they are manufactured from full sized carrots. 

I also refuse to buy supermarket brabded products even if they are cheaper. Unfortunatly many people cannot afford the luury of shopping by concience and not price.

[achookwoman]

Goldfish thanks for pointing out this interesting information.  It is a similar situation in Victoria,  As DD says we are part of the problem.  We have a policy of grow what we can, swap when we have too much. Cook what you can, (aren't we lucky to have a TMX).  Waste as little as possible. Consider the food miles when you buy, (American Oranges at Woolworths last week.) Eat what is in season. Use whatever skills you have to help others. Seems to work for us.

[DizzyGirl]

I buy all my fruit and vege from the local green grocer in town. Most of it comes from our local farmers. The bananas generally come from Coffs Harbour and the potatoes from Guyra. We have an apple orchard which sells their seconds (not quite perfect) to the public. Nothing wrong with them especially for cooking. Also we have a berry farm and strawberry farm a few minutes away from town.
Last year we grew most of our veges and I only buy what is in season.

The wastage seems so unnecessary as I am sure there are alot of charities out there who could really use it for their soup kitchens or to hand out to the less fortunate.

[obbie]

I buy so much fruit and veg locally, or we get given a lot.
We get given  a lot of fruit that is seconds.

sugar bananas today.
Limes and lemonades, avocados, macadamias  from our trees.
I about to plant organic veges too.

A Strawberry farm 5 minutes from here, which is great.

Buy whats in season too.
Robyn

[Vivaroo]

That is so sad when there are many poor, overweight but undernourished people in Australia complaining that fresh produce is too expensive so they have to buy cheap junk.

I wonder why catering companies, food manufacturers, institutions etc aren't buying it, they shouldn't care about if a honeydew isn't quite round or has a small blemish.   Mind you, food manufacturers probably have no use for fresh vegetables when a flavour can be produced in a laboratory.   

In this country we have too much of everything, spoilt rotten for choice and aren't aware of the consequences.  I'm sure Coles & Woolies could work something out with differing prices for the perfect and imperfect produce.  Pensioners must be horrified to see that kind of waste when they can hardly get by.   

[Halex]

DashingDen,

I know its a shame that  sometimes we cant afford branded products. My biggest fear is that our children or their kids will only have the home brand products available & then paying top dollar for them.

Sometimes the price differenece is huge ie cornflakes, rice bubbles, home brand is still cheaer than branded on secial

Al the waste seems pointless.

H

[djinni373]

Thanks goldfish for bring this to our attention.
Yes this wastage is cringeworthy and yes we all play a part in it (although some much more than others it seems). If you are interested in this topic there's lots of useful info here.
Sadly, trying to interest the younger generations in such mundane things such as maintaining a backyard vege garden, food preparation and storage not to mention basic nutrition is really an uphill battle.

[mcmich]

Most weeks I buy my fruit, veg, fish and sometimes meat from the growers markets.
It's on most Sundays at Newcastle Showground.
There was a show on recently, can't remember exactly (that's the alzheimer's playing up) about families that forage food from the bins outside big supermarkets. Just as DD said, irregular shape, a little past the use by date. We are a very wasteful nation.

[DizzyGirl]

When fruit or vegetable start going off here, I use them in cooking. I wish you could buy second grade produce for that purpose.