FOOD is a blessing and yet we seem to waste it. Food wastage is rampant in Malaysia. Despite many believing that it is a sin to waste food, this unrestrained habit is becoming the norm.
The war in Ukraine has led to somewhat of a global food crisis. But it means nothing to many of us. Millions of people go hungry globally every night and others in poverty-stricken countries die of starvation. Closer home, many in the B40 (lower income) group are struggling to put food on the table due to the rising cost of living. In such a scenario, it is incomprehensible that many Malaysians still do not pay heed to minimising food wastage.
Yes, most of us have been guilty of wasting food at “all you can eat” buffets. We fill our plates to the brim and when we find that the particular dish is not suited to our taste, we just leave it to be collected and thrown away by the waiter.
I observed this sad state of affairs last week when I went for a buffet at a hotel priced at RM40 nett for senior citizens. The seniors were happily taking more than they could eat and, in some instances, they took food for their friends sitting at their table. We Malaysians are indeed fond of being nice to our friends, but actually we are wasting good food as our friends might not like what we get them. So please let friends decide for themselves what they want to eat.
I have never been to any wedding dinner where there is no wastage. It seems that having eight to 10 courses is just too much; many of the later courses, such as fried rice, end up unfinished and the waiter simply mixes the uneaten food with the scraps.
Why do we carry on such wasteful practices? I am stating the obvious but, at buffet functions, can we learn to take smaller portions and then go for second or third helpings if necessary? This translates to cleaning your plate, eating all of what you have taken.
Parents have an important role to instil this “do not waste food” value in their kids from young. Parents and relatives should also not put too much on the child’s plate to begin with.
In other areas, we have a tendency to buy more than what our families need simply because it is cheap and then find that all cannot be consumed, especially perishables.
Some of us cook more than is needed too, especially when relatives and friends pay a visit. Leftovers that are pushed to the back of the fridge sit there for days or even weeks and then end up in the bin.
Food is just one of the things that we waste. There are also other things such as electricity, water, clothes, time and money, just to name a few. Exercising responsibility and good stewardship is important in lessening such wastage.
DR POLA SINGH
Kuala Lumpur
