Stop Food Waste Day

Stop Food Waste Day is an international day of action in the fight against food waste which is a serious and growing problem. Roughly one-third of the food produced globally is either lost or wasted every year.

Launched in 2017 by Compass Group the global leader in foodservice, on this day consumers, corporates and influencers across +30 Compass countries will work together to raise awareness of the critical food waste problem and inspire change.

Food waste has become a severe epidemic across the world due to a lack of understanding of how to effectively use food and conserve it. Food waste, however, can be stopped.

Stop Food Waste Day aims to change the statistics of food waste, continuing to decrease it over time. Eventually, the holiday hopes to help those in need get the food they need and stop landfills from filling over.

History of Stop Food Waste Day

Stop Food Waste Day began back in 2017 by Compass Group, one of the world’s largest foodservice companies serving restaurants, cafes, hospitals, schools, and more. Compass Group committed to reducing food waste 25 percent by the year 2020.

This is as part of its mission to create a positive impact on people, the planet, and the food system. They serve 9.8 million meals daily in North America alone. The Compass Group focuses the efforts of its mission by teaching their chefs how to track and reduce waste as much as possible. They also seek to donate more than 250,000 pounds of food each year to local food banks.

Today, 45% of root crops, fruit, and vegetables produced globally are wasted per year as well as 33% of all food produced globally. With those percentages, there is a significant food waste epidemic that people are globally facing.

Stop Food Waste Day aims to educate people about their food waste and create impactful solutions to how people farm, produce, purchase, and use food. They have identified the possibility of 25% of food produced globally being able to feed 795 million hungry people in the world.

Stop Food Waste Day hopes to change the way leftovers are used so people can make the most significant advantage of what food people use.

How to Celebrate Stop Food Waste Day

Show your support by looking up simple recipes to best use leftovers and fresh produce. Make a list ahead of time before you head to your local grocery store to help conserve food usage.

Get in the habit of freezing leftovers. Revive wilted vegetables by washing them in water for 5 to 10 minutes. Make sure that when you freeze food, you remove as much air as possible for long-lasting freshness. If you wish to help out more with this cause, then attend a Compass Group event hosted at many communities all over the world.

Help schedule interviews, cooking demonstrations, share recipes and teach people about the benefits of saving food waste.