More Than a Meal

Food Waste — Take What You Will Eat

Have you ever opened the fridge and found food that has been sitting there for days, only to realise that it has gone off? Perhaps you have prepared too much food for supper, bought groceries that you never got around to using, or thrown away leftovers because nobody wanted to eat them again. These are common experiences in many households, and because they happen so often, we may not always stop to think about them.

But food waste is more than just throwing away something we no longer want. It represents wasted money, wasted resources, and missed opportunities to make better use of what we have been given.

Yesterday, we began our weekly theme, More Than a Meal, by reflecting on food as a blessing and asking whether we sometimes take it for granted. Today, we take that conversation a step further by looking at one of the ways we can fail to appreciate that blessing: wasting food.

Food waste happens at different stages of our lives. It can begin when we buy more groceries than we need, continue when we prepare excessive portions, and end when perfectly edible food is thrown away simply because we have changed our minds about eating it. Sometimes food is wasted because it has been stored incorrectly or forgotten at the back of the fridge. Other times, we serve ourselves more than we can finish.

Individually, these actions may seem insignificant. But when food is wasted repeatedly in households, restaurants, shops and other settings, the total amount becomes substantial.

The consequences go beyond the food itself. Consider the money spent buying groceries, the water and energy used to produce food, the labour of farmers and food workers, and the fuel required to transport products to shops. When food is discarded unnecessarily, many of those resources are wasted too.

There is also a financial impact on families. Groceries are an important household expense, and with the cost of living placing pressure on many budgets, throwing away food can mean throwing away money that could have been used elsewhere.

From an Islamic perspective, avoiding waste is an important principle. Allah says in the Qur’an, in Surah Al-A’raf, verse 31,

وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ

and eat and drink [freely], but do not waste: verily, He does not love the wasteful!

This verse reminds us that Islam does not prohibit enjoying the food Allah has provided. Rather, it teaches moderation and responsibility. We can enjoy good meals, prepare food for our families and welcome guests generously while still being mindful of what we use and what we discard.

The lesson is not about feeling guilty every time food goes uneaten. Sometimes food spoils unexpectedly, plans change, or circumstances make it impossible to use everything we have prepared. The important thing is to recognise where we can make improvements and develop more thoughtful habits.

Another important lesson is to teach children to appreciate food without forcing them to finish unreasonable portions. We can encourage them to take what they believe they can eat, understand where food comes from, and learn why wasting it unnecessarily is something to avoid.

And perhaps we can make sharing a greater part of our approach. When we have suitable, safely handled food that we will not use, we can consider whether it can be shared before it goes to waste.

Ultimately, reducing food waste does not require dramatic changes. It begins with small decisions made consistently: buying thoughtfully, cooking sensibly, storing food properly and appreciating what we have.

As we continue our More Than a Meal theme, let us remember that respecting food is one practical way of expressing gratitude for its blessings.

Take what you can eat, make good use of what you have, and remember that food should be appreciated, not wasted.