scholarly journals Consumer Perceptions, Behaviors, and Knowledge of Food Waste in a Rural American State

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selena Ahmed ◽  
Alyssa Stewart ◽  
Erin Smith ◽  
Teresa Warne ◽  
Carmen Byker Shanks
Keyword(s):  
Food Waste ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Local Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
Consumer Perceptions ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Evidence Based Programs

Understanding consumer knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards food waste is critical for informing evidence-based programs to advance sustainable food systems. A lack of knowledge regarding consumer food waste at the local level limits the ability to inform place-based solutions that are locally relevant. We administered an online survey to examine consumer perceptions, behaviors, and knowledge of food waste at the household level in Montana, a rural state in the United States. The majority of surveyed participants (58%) reported that they waste 10% or less of procured food. Almost half the participants (48%) are willing to take additional action to reduce food waste. Social factors including guilt and setting a good example were found to be greater motivators for reducing food waste compared to economic and environmental factors. Most survey participants (80%) perceive it would not be difficult to notably reduce their household's food waste. Overall, participants' reporting of their household's food waste quantity is lower than national quantities while their willingness to reduce food waste was higher than findings from a national survey. This study highlights the need for place-based solutions that are locally relevant to reduce household food waste towards enhancing the sustainability of food systems for supporting planetary health.

scholarly journals Such a Shame! A Study on Self-Perception of Household Food Waste

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Falasconi ◽  
Clara Cicatiello ◽  
Silvio Franco ◽  
Andrea Segrè ◽  
Marco Setti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Waste ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Food Shopping ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Awareness Raising ◽  
Main Determinants

Reducing food waste is globally considered as a key challenge in developing sustainable food systems. Although most food waste is generated at the household level, consumers hardly recognize their responsibility, and the factors underpinning their perception of the quantity of food wasted at home are still unclear. This paper aims to fill this gap by analyzing the results of a large-scale survey conducted in Italy. The perceived quantity of household food waste was measured through a Likert scale and analyzed by means of a logistic regression against a set of predictors, including food waste motivations, perception of the effects of food waste, and sociodemographic variables. As expected, the perceived quantity of food waste declared by respondents was very low. Among the main determinants, food shopping habits and the level of awareness about the reasons why food is wasted played a key role. In contrast, the perception of the environmental effects of food waste seemed to be less important. Differences among subsamples recruited in different areas of Italy were detected, suggesting that further studies, as well as awareness-raising policies, should also consider context-related variables.

scholarly journals Healthy Planet, Healthy Youth: A Food Systems Education and Promotion Intervention to Improve Adolescent Diet Quality and Reduce Food Waste

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Pflugh Prescott ◽  
Xanna Burg ◽  
Jessica Jarick Metcalfe ◽  
Alexander E. Lipka ◽  
Cameron Herritt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Science Teachers ◽  
Food Waste ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Plate Waste ◽  
The Impact

Emerging evidence suggests a link between young people’s interest in alternative food production practices and dietary quality. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a student-driven sustainable food systems education and promotion intervention on adolescent school lunch selection, consumption, and waste behaviors. Sixth grade science teachers at two middle schools (n = 268 students) implemented a standards-based curriculum on sustainable food systems, addressing the environmental impacts of food choices and food waste. The cumulating curriculum activity required the 6th grade students to share their food systems knowledge with their 7th and 8th grade counterparts (n = 426) through a cafeteria promotional campaign to discourage food waste. School-wide monthly plate waste assessments were used to evaluate changes in vegetable consumption and overall plate waste using a previously validated digital photography method. At baseline, the intervention students consumed significantly less vegetables relative to the control group (47.1% and 71.8% of vegetables selected, respectively (p = 0.006). This disparity was eliminated after the intervention with the intervention group consuming 69.4% and the control consuming 68.1% of selected vegetables (p = 0.848). At five months follow up, the intervention group wasted significantly less salad bar vegetables compared to the control group (24.2 g and 50.1 g respectively (p = 0.029). These findings suggest that food systems education can be used to promote improved dietary behaviors among adolescent youth.

scholarly journals Michigan Farmers of Color and the Future of Sustainable Food Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly N. Carr ◽  
Vanessa Garcia Polanco ◽  
Shakara Tyler
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Ethnic Disparities ◽  
The United States ◽  
Agricultural System ◽  
Racial And Ethnic Disparities ◽  
Racial Justice ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Sustainable Food System

Historically, racial and ethnic disparities in agriculture and the food system experienced by farmers of color (FoC) in the United States and in Michigan stem from an exploitative and racialized agricultural system in which white people have primarily benefited and profited. Sustainable agriculture with a strong orientation toward racial justice can serve as a medium for building more racial equity and transforming our racialized food system. Such a medium ensures that the resources to participate and contribute to a sustainable food system are accessible to everyone, not just those with significant power and resources. Although the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is in the initial phases of developing a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plan, there is currently no specific plan to support and target FoC. While there are several programs performing this work from grassroot organizations, civic groups, extension services, and others, there is no comprehensive statewide effort to create support systems for FoC in Michigan. To address this issue, we recommend the creation of an incentivized farm program as a way to address agrarian racial and ethnic disparities experienced by FoC and advance an equitable and just sustainable food system within the state of Michigan.

Food Waste in K–12 Schools: An Opportunity to Create More Equitable and Sustainable Food Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 463
Author(s):  
Sara Elnakib ◽  
Matthew J. Landry ◽  
Alisha Farris ◽  
Casey Coombs
Keyword(s):  
Food Waste ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
K 12

scholarly journals Obesity Prevention and National Food Security: A Food Systems Approach

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lila Finney Rutten ◽  
Amy Lazarus Yaroch ◽  
Heather Patrick ◽  
Mary Story
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Obesity Prevention ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Improve Food Security

Interventions that cultivate sustainable food systems to promote health, prevent obesity, and improve food security have the potential for many large-scale and long-lasting benefits including improvements in social, environmental, health, and economic outcomes. We briefly summarize findings from previous research examining associations between obesity and food insecurity and discuss the need for greater synergy between food insecurity initiatives and national obesity prevention public health goals in the United States. The common ground between these two nutrition-related public health issues is explored, and the transformation needed in research and advocacy communities around the shared goal of improving population health through individual, environmental, and policy level changes to promote healthy sustainable food systems is discussed. We propose an ecological framework to simultaneously consider food insecurity and obesity that identifies levers for change to promote sustainable food systems to improve food security and prevent obesity.

scholarly journals Ecovillage foodscapes: zooming in and out of sustainable food practices

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ciska Ulug ◽  
Elen-Maarja Trell ◽  
Lummina Horlings
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Social Practice ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Food Practices

AbstractThis article uses foodscapes as a lens to explore the potential of ecovillages’ food practices towards enhancing sustainable food systems. Ecovillages are collective projects where members attempt to integrate sustainability principles into daily community life. In these communities, food acts, not only as an element of social life, but also as a venue through which to interact with mainstream food systems and society. Yet, how food practices at ecovillages contribute to sustainable food systems remains vague. This article proposes foodscapes, as a lens, for exploring the sustainability potential of place-based food practices in ecovillages, while also directing attention to how these practices intersect with networks at broader social and spatial scales. It asks, how can we better understand and draw from sustainable food practices, when considering these as both, place-based and relational? And what is the potential and the role of ecovillage communities to contribute to broader sustainable food system change? Drawing on ethnographic and food mapping methods, the article explores selected food practices at three ecovillage communities in the United States. Using social practice theory for “zooming in” on place-based practices and “zooming out” to examine relational networks, we investigate how these communities create internally sustainable food systems, while externally bridging themselves with broader urban and rural communities. Through viewing ecovillage food practices as place-based and relational, we develop a broader and spatially-focused understanding of food system sustainability.

scholarly journals Towards more sustainable food systems. Addressing food waste at school canteens

Appetite ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 129 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belén Derqui ◽  
Vicenç Fernandez ◽  
Teresa Fayos
Keyword(s):  
Food Waste ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food
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