Eating at home may reduce food wastage, says a study
Eating at home may lead to less food wastage as compared to dining out, according to a new study that analysed daily eating habits of adults.
People who left three per cent of their food on their plates when opting for cooking their own meals, actually left 40 per cent of their food when they were given a standard lunch.
“What we leave behind on our plate is of primary focus. The study reveals that it is potentially important to concentrate on the conservation aspect at home — utilising food before it spoils,” said Brian Roe from The Ohio State University in the US.
Prior research usually focussed on ‘plate waste’ in places such as school cafeterias and buffets where higher rate of wastage was observed.
At an all you can eat Pizza buffet, the food wastage is seven per cent whereas at french fries cafes and all you can eat university dinning hall, the wastage is as high as 18 per cent.
The new study, published in the journal Plos One, is the first of its kind to record adults and their day-to-day eating patterns, said Roe.
“This study allows us a glimpse into the daily eating habits of adults and suggests that when people buy and cook at home, there’s not a lot left on their plate because they understand the value of it,” he said.
The researchers tracked food waste through pictures, the 50 participants took out their smartphones to take pictures of the plate before and after their meals. The study ran for about a week and included all meals eaten at home or away from home.
To compare plate waste in a controlled environment versus a home dining environment, the researchers had participants dine twice in a lab setting — on lunches which included meat sandwiches, cookies, pretzels, a fruit cup and a beverage of the diners’ choice.
Roe said, “Based on this study, it is of paramount importance to focus on planning a meal and using leftover foods.”
Corby Martin of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in louisiana said that the negative effects of being provided with ample food or serving yourself too much are becoming an apparent trend.
“When this situation is a constant recurrence, people are more likely to have a lot of plate waste after their meal,” Martin said.
Roe and his colleagues are developing a phone app designed to track food waste. They will soon begin testing the Food Image app in a pilot project.