25 August 2025
Every Meal Matters: How Valuing Food Can Save More Than Money
As the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW) approaches on September 29th, it’s the perfect time to pause and look beyond what’s on our plates.
Every meal we enjoy is the result of countless resources and efforts—water, land, energy, transportation; not to mention the time and care of growers, producers and retailers. When we waste food, we waste all of those things too. And the real cost? It’s far more than just what you paid at the checkout.
Take a classic Kiwi mince pie. Hot, flaky, and comforting. But did you know it takes the equivalent of 20 bathtubs of water to make just one pie? From the water needed to grow the wheat for the pastry, to the feed and processing required to produce the filling—it all adds up. When that pie goes uneaten, it’s 20 bathtubs of water poured down the drain for nothing.
The latest UN Food Waste Index Report shows households account for 60 percent of global food waste (UNEP, 2024). That means the biggest opportunity for change lies with us—in our homes, and our habits.
Small actions can have a huge ripple effect, and the change we need to make is as simple as revisiting what is natural to us all: Think. Shop. Store. It’s a simple approach that can be forgotten when we are busy but doesn’t require perfection to re-establish as part of your routine.
Think:
Thinking ahead doesn’t have to mean a strict meal plan, it could just be jotting down three meal ideas to kick start your week. Follow the meal planning 4C’s; Plan your meals before heading to the supermarket and check what’s already in the fridge and freezer to avoid doubling up.
Shop:
Stick to your list and buy only what you need. Think twice before grabbing that tempting multi-buy deal. Choose versatile ingredients that work across different meals, frozen veg, canned beans, and tinned tomatoes are great staples. No time to write a list? Snap a quick fridge or pantry “shelfie” before heading to the store.
Store:
A few clever storage tweaks can make your food last much longer. Pop a paper towel in with your salad leaves to absorb excess moisture. Move your milk to the middle shelf of the fridge where it stays colder. And if you’re not sure how to store something? Check out our A-Z Storage Guide or our golden rules of storage.
When we waste less, we honour the invisible effort that brings food to our tables, from the early mornings in the fields to the energy keeping our kai fresh in the fridge.
These small changes don’t just protect the planet, they save you time, money, and stress. So, this #IDAFLW, let’s make a conscious choice to value our food, our land, and those who nourish us.
Start small. Think smart. Waste less. Because your everyday actions truly do add up.
