Food waste in India: how to save food at home and at events

Indians are taught from childhood not to waste food. Yet food waste in India is huge, and most of it happens not in fields or markets, but in our own kitchens.

How much food do we waste?

The United Nations Environment Programme measures household food waste country by country.

Around the world, the picture is similar.

Every kilo of wasted food also wastes the water, land, fuel and money that went into it.

Why food gets wasted at home

• We buy more than we need, especially vegetables and fruit on offer.

• Food is stored badly and spoils.

• We cook too much, and leftovers are forgotten in the fridge.

• "Best before" and "use by" are confused, and good food is thrown out.

Plan, store, use up

Plan before you shop

Check what you already have before going to the market. Plan meals for a few days and buy for those. Small, frequent shopping often wastes less than one big trip.

Store food well

• Keep onions and potatoes in a cool, dark, airy place, but not together.

• Wrap coriander and other greens in a cloth before refrigerating them.

• Store rice, atta and dal in airtight containers to keep insects out.

• Put older food in front, and new purchases behind.

Use up leftovers

Leftover rice becomes lemon rice or fried rice. Leftover dal makes parathas. Overripe bananas make banana bread or a milkshake. Indian cooking has a recipe for nearly every leftover.

Weddings and parties

Large functions are where the most food is wasted in a single day.

• Give the caterer a realistic headcount, not an inflated one.

• Choose fewer dishes, made well, over a huge spread.

• Arrange in advance for leftover food to be shared the same day: with staff, neighbours, or a local food-sharing group.

• Pack leftovers safely while the food is still fresh. Food left out for hours is not safe to give.

Share what you won't use

Unopened packaged food that you won't use, such as extra sweets, dry snacks, or groceries before a move, can go to someone who will. Check the expiry date, mention it clearly, and give it while it is still well within date. You can list it for free on Trezow for people nearby.

Kitchen equipment helps too. Spare tiffins, containers and storage jars help others keep food fresh. Browse free kitchen items or give away your own.

Compost what's left

Peels, tea leaves and scraps that cannot be eaten should go into wet waste, kept separate from dry waste, or into a home compost bin. Composted food goes back to the soil instead of rotting in a landfill.

The short version

• Buy for meals you have planned.

• Store food so it lasts.

• Cook leftovers into new dishes.

• Share extra food the same day, safely.

• Compost scraps, and keep wet waste separate.