A matter of culture

Throughout Roman history, people were encouraged not to waste food and eat the leftovers the next day. This mindset resulted in the invention of meatballs and sausages. Furthermore, they saved food to the extent that garbage would be scattered on the floor as decorations, which they believed would dissolve into small glass chips.

American culture promotes quantity above all else. And because of this, they waste the most food out of any country. The US is leading the world in the amount of food waste they produce, mainly because of the unrealistic aesthetic standards placed upon produce. This results in fruits and vegetables not being bought because of a slight bruise or discoloration, which results in farmers having to throw the produce away.  

China’s food waste comes mainly from restaurants, whereas in the U.S. we’re wasteful both at home and when we dine out. In China, a culture of hospitality dictates that people order more food than they plan on eating–and the vast majority of the time, nobody brings a doggie bag of leftovers back home.

In India, food is a big part of marriage ceremonies and plays a crucial role in festivities. It is an expectation that not a single guest goes hungry. Food is generously prepared and served, which leads to food being wasted by both cooks and guests. The saying “Atithi Devo Bhava'', meaning “Our guest is God'', is taken to the extreme, resulting in 10-20% of the food prepared for Indian marriages being wasted. 

Within Hong Kong, it is believed that spirits of the deceased feel lonely or angry if not acknowledged after their demise. As a form of appeasement, food is put before the  graves of relatives to appease their restlessness.

Hospitality is a deeply ingrained cultural norm in the Middle East and is widely measured via the abundance of food, motivating people to buy food in bulk and prepare more food they can consume. It is a well-established cultural tradition to provide an abundance even when there is little for the family to eat. There is also a cultural aversion to consuming leftovers or reheating food. Food that is not fresh is perceived as lower quality, hence is thrown away.