Towards Sustainable Food Systems: Exploring Household Food Waste by Photographic Diary in Relation to Unprocessed, Processed and Ultra-Processed Food

Global society is wasting food at unsustainable levels, and unconsumed food is contributing markedly to carbon emissions. Simultaneously, food insecurity and obesity are increasingly prevalent concerns in high-income countries. This study aimed to evaluate food waste at the household level to understand relationships between discarded food, food processing and household characteristics. A sociodemographic and food security survey of householders in Hampshire (UK) was conducted alongside a seven-day photographic food waste diary. Of the total food waste from 94 participants, 87% was unprocessed, 51% was avoidable or potentially avoidable and 36% was unavoidable. Of the total food waste, 61% occurred during food preparation. Greater amounts of avoidable food waste occurred in one, three and four+ person households than in two-person households. Potentially avoidable food waste was greater in households educated to postgraduate and university degree level than others. The outcomes of this study indicate that the focus on interventions should vary demographically. Interventions that support food security, improving diet quality and saving money, while reducing avoidable and unprocessed food waste, in one, three and four+ person households during food preparation are one option. Reducing potentially avoidable unprocessed food waste is a priority in households educated to university degree level and above.

Automated summary

Global society is wasting food at unsustainable levels, contributing to carbon emissions. Food insecurity and obesity are increasing concerns in high-income countries. This study evaluated household food waste and found that a majority of it was unprocessed and avoidable, occurring during food preparation. Different interventions should be targeted towards different demographics, focusing on food security, diet quality, and saving money for one, three, and four+ person households, and reducing potentially avoidable unprocessed food waste in households with a university degree.