No food left behind

ROSES & THORNS

- PIA ROCES MORATO

According to a report by the Philippine Statistics Authority, 1.4 million households are considered "food poor." This means that more and more individuals have limited access to nutritious food, often due to economic conditions. Attached to this also comes the issue of health and well-being, leading to a general feeling of food insecurity.

There have been a number of zero waste food programs around the world that have made considerable strides in terms of awareness and consciousness with regard to access to food and nutrition that have even partnered with top chefs in committing to reduce wastage inside the kitchen in order to increase the amount of food available for consumption. This does not mean that quality is sacrificed in the process.

Coming from a long line of cooks in the family, we too have been taught to properly use and distribute food among members so that everyone is fed appropriately and, of course, deliciously. But what exactly is the concept of zero food waste? There are those who seem to misunderstand this endeavor by classifying it as a "class action" towards the poor when in fact, responsible cooks, mothers, or those in charge of the kitchen, and even in restaurants, are taught over time to practice the basics of zero wastage in their meals.