The difference between hunger and food insecurity is, hunger is in the present. The feeling of discomfort from your body wanting to fill the void. Food insecurity is living without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable and nutritious food. Worldwide food insecurities are caused mostly by poverty, drought and conflict. In the United States, current research supports that 1 in 6 children will face this dilemma.

Meanwhile, the enormity and scope of food waste in this country is staggering. An average American family wastes $1,865 of food annually. And 25% of the 33% of wasted food in our world could feed ALL 795 MILLION undernourished people in the world. The culture has to change, how we think about food and interact with it and how manufacturing can play a larger role in this solution.

COVID-19 has played an especially harsh role in fighting hunger, insecurity and waste. The number of families needing food in our country has nearly doubled. Organizations such as food banks and pantries are understaffed with resources dwindling. Families are facing the impossible choice of where the money goes, knowing it won’t cover it all. Do you pay rent, keep the lights on, buy medicine, or put nourishing food on the table? I have often wondered why a country that is one of the richest in the world hasn’t been able to find a way to eradicate or formulate an ongoing plan to eliminate food insecurities nationally; the ramifications that surround food insecurity are so far- reaching. The degradation is not only physical, it affects the spirit, mental capabilities and the psychological development of our minds. Without good fuel, we can’t function properly.

Connecting the dots from a possible waste situation to the people who need it is the biggest weak link. There are many brilliant minds in the manufacturing business and food world who are truly making headway. We can do better, and we must. Saying it is financially infeasible is no longer acceptable. Efforts are underway both globally and in the U.S. to reduce food waste by 2030, but the work doesn’t stop there. We can all do our part to fight food waste in our own lives, and issue I addressed a few blogs ago. Please keep up the great effort. It is also important to highlight the corporate efforts and ongoing initiatives being made. There are some great write-ups in foodbev.com (put in search term: "Food Waste").

Please also check out www.stopfoodwasteday.com. The companies and chefs involved are impressive! Take the Stop Food Waste Day pledge and share it across your social media platforms:

Please mark your calendars for National Food Waste Day April 28, 2021

My query is simple: Will you be part of the change? Has your company stepped up? Do you know anyone in the business who has? Please share.

Live well always. Cheers and thank you!

Food: Hunger, Insecurity & Waste

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