Some recent data puts food waste in countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia as around 40%.
Figures are being quoted for the US, but the survey from which they are using the statistics also included some other countries including Australia - it is not just the US.
This is an awful indictment on western society. Especially when the areas of waste are mostly in the home and the restaurant areas. It is also a waste of an awful lot of the money we have spent on food.
It also brings into question the use of "use by" and " best by" systems in relation to food that are now slavishly adhered too, rather than being used as a guide. Is it fear of legal issues or just plain lack of common sense that is the issue?
There is a great article written on the subject and is worth reading and pondering on the naivety of consumers over these issues.
The link is here:
http://www.nrdc.org/food/wasted-food.asp
How many times have you eaten leftovers for lunch or as another quick meal a few evenings later, as well as drunk milk on a date past that on the bottle, or used other products near or past the use by date. Sure, do not use anything that might be unusable - with a quick smell or appearance check a good guide - and better than a formal printed date. Many charities use packaged foods that are past the "date" to provide excellent meals to the less well off.
Are we so stupid that we cannot be sensible enough to also be practical in using food, purchased with our money, sensibly. Treat these dates as a guide - and remember, many supermarkets discount food items getting close to the "use by"date - so a bit of careful shopping can be $$ saving.
There are some ideas in the links shown, so can you act somewhat wiser?
More details in the full article which also targets the supermarkets.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Omelette - Forty Years in the Making
One must continue to learn in life. Even if over a long period of time.
There was a discussion with my wife yesterday over breakfast - along the lines of what there might be for breakfast.
The topic I ventured was - how about an omelette?
She appeared somewhat incredulous when I offered to make omelettes for us both. It was not about the offer to do that for us both, but more along the lines of stunned awe about the cooking of an omelette itself. She had never seen me cook omelettes. Not to mention some trepidation as to the outcome.
When one has been married for over 40 years there are not many [still some it seems] secrets.
Forthwith, two omelettes were produced.
To somewhat stunned incredulity. "I did not know you could cook omelettes" was the call, and the obvious answer - "I can".
We had omelettes for breakfast again today. The whole shebang - cheese, ham, onion etc.
Maybe I have incurred a rod for my own back, but really they are so easy and simple. Who can't cook a decent omelette?
You will have to speculate on their quality........without photographic proof!
There was a discussion with my wife yesterday over breakfast - along the lines of what there might be for breakfast.
The topic I ventured was - how about an omelette?
She appeared somewhat incredulous when I offered to make omelettes for us both. It was not about the offer to do that for us both, but more along the lines of stunned awe about the cooking of an omelette itself. She had never seen me cook omelettes. Not to mention some trepidation as to the outcome.
When one has been married for over 40 years there are not many [still some it seems] secrets.
Forthwith, two omelettes were produced.
To somewhat stunned incredulity. "I did not know you could cook omelettes" was the call, and the obvious answer - "I can".
We had omelettes for breakfast again today. The whole shebang - cheese, ham, onion etc.
Maybe I have incurred a rod for my own back, but really they are so easy and simple. Who can't cook a decent omelette?
You will have to speculate on their quality........without photographic proof!
Friday, 28 October 2011
Decadence and Shellfish
Decadence goes back a long way; it is not a new phenomenom.
Read the quote -
"Shellfish are the prime cause of the decline of morals and the adaptation of an extravagant lifestyle"
Pliny the Elder - Ancient Rome.
I have not heard of that quote before, but it is a pertinent one at this time of year in Australia, a time when local oysters are beginning to become plentiful.
I am not sure of that issue about moral decline, although I am equally as sure that I do enjoy oysters!!
Of course, oysters are not just the fare of the rich. For many years, oysters were thought food for only the poor. They could be gathered for free from local seashores, and can still be in many parts of Australia.
Historically, the rich purple dye, Tyrian purple, was produced from shellfish in ancient times, even prior to Roman times, and Pliny described the process in some detail [details on wikipedia]. Maybe that was the link between the rich and eating oysters.
Or was it the reputed aphrodesiac properties of oysters?
Read the quote -
"Shellfish are the prime cause of the decline of morals and the adaptation of an extravagant lifestyle"
Pliny the Elder - Ancient Rome.
I have not heard of that quote before, but it is a pertinent one at this time of year in Australia, a time when local oysters are beginning to become plentiful.
I am not sure of that issue about moral decline, although I am equally as sure that I do enjoy oysters!!
Of course, oysters are not just the fare of the rich. For many years, oysters were thought food for only the poor. They could be gathered for free from local seashores, and can still be in many parts of Australia.
Historically, the rich purple dye, Tyrian purple, was produced from shellfish in ancient times, even prior to Roman times, and Pliny described the process in some detail [details on wikipedia]. Maybe that was the link between the rich and eating oysters.
Or was it the reputed aphrodesiac properties of oysters?
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Chocolate is GOOD for YOU!
A recent finding, that is sure to delight many of us with a sweet tooth, claims that high levels of chocolate consumption may be associated with a 33% decrease in the risk of developing heart disease. The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), confirms existing studies which have explored the positive link between eating chocolate and heart health. While other factors are much more important for a healthy heart, such as exercise and proper dieting, this finding gives a nice reprieve to chocoholics.
Chocolate has great qualities other than a great taste which include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It can reduce blood pressure and improve insulin. This may be one reason people enjoy chocolate when they are stressed out. It can actually make you feel better.
Previous studies had found the link between chocolate and heart health but the evidence backing it up remained unclear. Researchers from the University of Cambridge, led by Dr. Oscar Franco, set out to establish the link by carrying out a large-scale review of existing evidence.
Previous studies compared two groups of individuals, those with high and low chocolate consumption.
Five studies reported a link between chocolate and heart health. Individuals with the highest levels of chocolate consumption had a 37 percent decrease in cardiovascular disease and a 29 percent reduction in stroke. This is in comparison with individuals with the lowest level of chocolate consumption.
The type of chocolate was not taken into consideration for any of the studies. For example, dark and milk chocolate were not differentiated. Nor were chocolate bars, chocolate beverages, or chocolate desserts differentiated.
The authors of the study caution that people should not take this as free license to consume bucket loads of chocolate. It is extremely high in calories which could lead to weight gain and diabetes. If the fat and sugar content of commercially sold chocolate could be reduced, it would be safer. According to the findings of the study, this is an option that should be explored.
Link to published article: http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d4488
Chocolate has great qualities other than a great taste which include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It can reduce blood pressure and improve insulin. This may be one reason people enjoy chocolate when they are stressed out. It can actually make you feel better.
Previous studies had found the link between chocolate and heart health but the evidence backing it up remained unclear. Researchers from the University of Cambridge, led by Dr. Oscar Franco, set out to establish the link by carrying out a large-scale review of existing evidence.
Previous studies compared two groups of individuals, those with high and low chocolate consumption.
Five studies reported a link between chocolate and heart health. Individuals with the highest levels of chocolate consumption had a 37 percent decrease in cardiovascular disease and a 29 percent reduction in stroke. This is in comparison with individuals with the lowest level of chocolate consumption.
The type of chocolate was not taken into consideration for any of the studies. For example, dark and milk chocolate were not differentiated. Nor were chocolate bars, chocolate beverages, or chocolate desserts differentiated.
The authors of the study caution that people should not take this as free license to consume bucket loads of chocolate. It is extremely high in calories which could lead to weight gain and diabetes. If the fat and sugar content of commercially sold chocolate could be reduced, it would be safer. According to the findings of the study, this is an option that should be explored.
Link to published article: http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d4488
Monday, 9 August 2010
Chinese Milk and Dairy Products- More Problems??
Recent reports are surfacing in China about high hormone levels in young children who have been drinking a particular milk brand of powdered milk.
Some children have been tested for hormone levels and results indicate that these are at levels equal to adult women, and the young children have been developing breasts.
The suspicion is that hormones fed to dairy cows to boost production are being found in milk. This livestock production practice is generally banned in most countires.
Comes back to the same issue.............do you trust Chinese food, especially fresh food imported to Australia?
Other than milk, there are a lot of fresh and frozen vegetables from China arriving in Australia via New Zealand, where they are repacked and get to qualify as "free entry" since they are now ostensibly "from New Zealand".
I for one am very unsure about food quality control in China.............let alone issues around corruption and poor production practices. While milk from China does not come to Australia, it does get exported to some other countries of SE Asia.
read more here-
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/entertainment/7733883/china-milk-powder-blamed-for-baby-breasts/
No doubt there will be more media coverage.
Some children have been tested for hormone levels and results indicate that these are at levels equal to adult women, and the young children have been developing breasts.
The suspicion is that hormones fed to dairy cows to boost production are being found in milk. This livestock production practice is generally banned in most countires.
Comes back to the same issue.............do you trust Chinese food, especially fresh food imported to Australia?
Other than milk, there are a lot of fresh and frozen vegetables from China arriving in Australia via New Zealand, where they are repacked and get to qualify as "free entry" since they are now ostensibly "from New Zealand".
I for one am very unsure about food quality control in China.............let alone issues around corruption and poor production practices. While milk from China does not come to Australia, it does get exported to some other countries of SE Asia.
read more here-
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/entertainment/7733883/china-milk-powder-blamed-for-baby-breasts/
No doubt there will be more media coverage.
Sunday, 14 March 2010
Sunday Night Food
The Sunday evening meal is always problematical. The end of the week, end of the weekend and with some very hot humid weather it has been a trying weekend.
Does one eat leftovers, or a quick takeaway chook plus home cooked veggies, or some other equally exotic fare. Would toasted sambos do the trick?
It is even more of a problem, well, issue maybe, when you have spent several weeks on holiday eating all types of delightful asian cuisine, even if at times in the hawker centres or food halls that have appeared in most shopping areas in both Malaysia and Singapore.
It gets worse........some weeks away lead to a dirty house and yard, so after spending time on those chores, a quick trip to the local food hall would have been great. Sadly it was not to be.
Options were limited. An ordinary, very ordinary Sunday night roast at a local club. Takeaways were less appealing even. But wait, there’s more.......[ after a very notable TV ad of yesteryear] .............what could be better than high quality liver pate with red onion and cucumber [ both finely sliced and fresh], on freshly cooked toast, washed down with a gold medal award riesling?
Great fresh quality food and a quality wine...........beats crappy food anytime.
Eat your heart out!
Does one eat leftovers, or a quick takeaway chook plus home cooked veggies, or some other equally exotic fare. Would toasted sambos do the trick?
It is even more of a problem, well, issue maybe, when you have spent several weeks on holiday eating all types of delightful asian cuisine, even if at times in the hawker centres or food halls that have appeared in most shopping areas in both Malaysia and Singapore.
It gets worse........some weeks away lead to a dirty house and yard, so after spending time on those chores, a quick trip to the local food hall would have been great. Sadly it was not to be.
Options were limited. An ordinary, very ordinary Sunday night roast at a local club. Takeaways were less appealing even. But wait, there’s more.......[ after a very notable TV ad of yesteryear] .............what could be better than high quality liver pate with red onion and cucumber [ both finely sliced and fresh], on freshly cooked toast, washed down with a gold medal award riesling?
Great fresh quality food and a quality wine...........beats crappy food anytime.
Eat your heart out!
Sunday, 7 March 2010
The Weather is STRANGE
Darwin is wet........that's normal in February and March, although much of February was dry with a big wet flurry at the end.
But Singapore is VERY dry, recording one of the driest February's on record with only about 8mm for the month and the dry weather has also substantially reduced much of the rice crop in Thailand [ a large exporter of rice] and parts of adjoining countries.
That may cause some problems in rice supply in Asia shortly.
For now, the food is good, spicy and just great.
But Singapore is VERY dry, recording one of the driest February's on record with only about 8mm for the month and the dry weather has also substantially reduced much of the rice crop in Thailand [ a large exporter of rice] and parts of adjoining countries.
That may cause some problems in rice supply in Asia shortly.
For now, the food is good, spicy and just great.
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Food Calorie Labels MIGHT Be Wrong!!
Oh dear...........what do I choose?? A nice muffin or a muesli bar, both with the same calories on the label.
The truth might be they are not the same.
Food harder to digest, nominally with the same calories as softer food that is easier to digest, might actually have lower available calories to you, the eater of the food.
Sounds sensible......sometimes.
And it might also explain why you are actually consuming more calories than you think.
The link to a recent article in New Scientist magazine puts it all in perspective
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20327171.200-the-calorie-delusion-why-food-labels-are-wrong.html?full=true
As the pundits are already saying, eat less processed food for better health - but it might also be better for the waistline.
The truth might be they are not the same.
Food harder to digest, nominally with the same calories as softer food that is easier to digest, might actually have lower available calories to you, the eater of the food.
Sounds sensible......sometimes.
And it might also explain why you are actually consuming more calories than you think.
The link to a recent article in New Scientist magazine puts it all in perspective
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20327171.200-the-calorie-delusion-why-food-labels-are-wrong.html?full=true
As the pundits are already saying, eat less processed food for better health - but it might also be better for the waistline.
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