Exploring the Factors of Food Waste

This project evaluates the success that a Food Waste assignment had on reducing food waste by exploring factors that suggest waste minimization. Previous ASB 370/394: Ethics of Eating students were surveyed regarding their thoughts on their current food waste behavior and what food waste strategies they implemented to reduce their waste. The success of the assignment was determined using SPSS statistical software. Respondents reported that foods that they waste the most were vegetables, fruits, and bread and most respondents indicated that they threw away 1-2 cups of food per week, typically only when they clean out their fridge and/or pantry. Participants revealed the main reasons for their food waste were “I buy too much,” followed by “do not have time to prepare the food I buy,” and “my produce didn’t look appealing anymore.” Based on the results from the survey, over 60% of respondents indicated that they had changed their food waste behavior to produce less waste. The Food Waste Assignment was deemed a success in encouraging students to limit their food waste due to the majority of students indicating they change their behavior after completing the assignment. The three main tactics students implemented to reduce their food waste were: “eating more leftovers,” “proper food storage,” and, “meal planning.” While the Food Waste Assignment was successful, ways to improve the assignment were still identified. To help students address their food waste behavior, reading or videos on ways to prevent food waste or suggestions for students to improve their food waste could be provided.