A couple of weeks ago I attended a documentary screening and panel discussion in Brookline, MA where we watched the documentary Just Eat It. This documentary is all about the problem of food waste, particularly in Canada and the United States. Just Eat It follows a couple who decide to eat only expired or rescued food (food that would be thrown away) for 6 months. During those 6 months they discover a lot about food waste and about how much perfectly good food is thrown away because it is getting close to the expiration date or that it does not look perfect enough to be sold. In the documentary it was said that 40% of all food grown is thrown away which was a shocking number to me. It was also surprising for me to hear that the most food waste occurs once the consumer gets the food and not on the farm or in stores, although a lot is wasted at those stages as well. Some of the major points made by Just Eat It were that consumers need a better understanding of expiration dates and need to be more intentional in using the food they buy so that less is wasted. Changes also need to be made at other levels to decrease food waste on the farm and in stores. Overall, it is a very good documentary that is motivating but still entertaining. I would definitely recommend it to others interested in learning more about food waste.
Link to documentary website: http://www.foodwastemovie.com/