Dear Food,
I know you already know this, but I really need you. You bring my family together, make my celebrations sweeter, satisfy my taste buds, and keep me alive. You work so hard to make all this possible, spending your life growing in fields, factories, or the sea. I try to take care of you—I give you a part of my land, lots of freshwater, energy, and effort.
But I want to say sorry. After all that hard work, you deserve to be enjoyed. Instead, I waste almost half of you—enough to feed millions of people. From the time you’re harvested to when you reach my home, I waste half of all fruits, vegetables, and seafood, and a third of all grains. I’m a bit better with meat and dairy, wasting only a portion, but this is still a double waste because I’m also throwing away the resources used to produce them.
I waste you in many ways: sometimes I leave you in the field because it’s too expensive to harvest you. Other times, I accidentally damage or spill you. I also reject you when you don’t look perfect because I judge by appearance. Mostly, I waste you in supermarkets, restaurants, and homes when you are so close to being enjoyed.
I offer too much of you, take too much, and can’t finish or sell all of you before you go bad. At home, I forget about you or cook too much and don’t know how to store you properly. Part of the problem is that I spend a smaller part of my budget on you than in any other country or time in history, and my spending is spread out over days and weeks, so I don’t notice the cost of wasting you.
But my lack of noticing adds up: I use vast amounts of land and water just to grow food that doesn’t get eaten. This is not your fault—it’s mine. Only I can buy less of you and eat more of what I do buy. Only I can accept your imperfections and realize that “best-before” doesn’t mean “use-by,” and store you better.
In general, I need to learn more about you—because this is about us and our relationship. I help you grow, and then I enjoy you. Anything else is a waste.
Thanks to the Food Policy Research Center at the University of Minnesota for supporting the research that led to this video. To learn more, click on the link in the description to read more about food waste.
Keep a diary for one week, documenting all the food you and your family throw away. At the end of the week, analyze the reasons for the waste and discuss ways to reduce it. Share your findings with the class.
Visit a local grocery store or market and select fruits or vegetables that are often overlooked due to their appearance. Create a meal using these ingredients and share your experience with the class, highlighting the importance of accepting imperfect produce.
Research and present different methods of storing food to extend its shelf life. Create a poster or a digital presentation to educate your classmates on how to properly store various types of food to minimize waste.
Choose a recipe and modify it to use leftover ingredients you have at home. Prepare the dish and bring it to class for a tasting session. Discuss how using leftovers can help reduce food waste.
Work in groups to create a campaign aimed at raising awareness about food waste in your school. Design posters, flyers, or a short video to educate your peers on the impact of food waste and how they can help reduce it.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript, removing any unnecessary or sensitive content while maintaining the core message:
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Dear Food,
I know you already know this, but I need you. You bring my family together, sweeten my celebrations, satisfy my senses, and keep me alive. You work hard to make all this possible, spending your life growing in the field, the factory, or the sea. I try to be good to you—I give you a portion of my land, a significant amount of freshwater, energy, and workforce.
But I want to apologize. Because after all that, you deserve to be enjoyed. Instead, I waste almost half of you—enough calories to feed millions of people. From harvest to home, I waste half of all fruits, vegetables, and seafood, and a third of all grains. I’m better with meat and dairy, wasting only a portion, but this is a double waste because I’m also discarding the resources used to produce them.
I waste you in many ways: sometimes I leave you in the field because it costs more to harvest you than you’re worth. Other times, I mistakenly damage or spill you. I also reject you when you’re imperfect because I judge by appearance. Mostly, I squander you in supermarkets, restaurants, and homes when you are so close to being enjoyed.
I offer too much of you, take too much, and can’t finish or sell all of you before you go bad. At home, I forget about you or cook too much and don’t know how to store you. Part of the problem is that I spend a smaller fraction of my household budget on you than in any other country or time in history, and my spending is spread out over days and weeks, so I don’t notice the cost of wasting you.
But my lack of noticing adds up: I devote vast amounts of land and water just to grow food that doesn’t get eaten. This is not your fault—it’s mine. Only I can buy less of you and eat more of what I do buy. Only I can accept your imperfections and realize that “best-before” doesn’t mean “use-by,” and store you better.
In general, I need to learn more about you—because this is about us and our relationship. I help you grow, and then I enjoy you. Anything else is a waste.
Thanks to the Food Policy Research Center at the University of Minnesota for supporting the research that led to this video. To learn more, click on the link in the description to read more about food waste.
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Food – Substances consumed by living organisms to provide energy and nutrients necessary for growth and maintenance. – Example sentence: “In environmental studies, we learn how sustainable farming practices can help produce food without harming the ecosystem.”
Waste – Materials that are discarded because they are no longer useful or required. – Example sentence: “Recycling programs aim to reduce waste by converting materials like paper and plastic into new products.”
Resources – Natural materials or substances that can be used by humans to produce goods and services. – Example sentence: “Conserving natural resources such as forests and water is crucial for maintaining ecological balance.”
Water – A vital natural resource that is essential for all forms of life and is used for drinking, agriculture, and industry. – Example sentence: “Scientists study the water cycle to understand how water moves through the environment and supports life.”
Land – The part of the Earth’s surface that is not covered by water, where ecosystems and human activities occur. – Example sentence: “Land conservation efforts focus on protecting habitats and preventing soil erosion.”
Fruits – The edible, seed-bearing structures of flowering plants, often consumed for their nutritional value. – Example sentence: “Eating a variety of fruits provides essential vitamins and minerals that support a healthy diet.”
Vegetables – Edible parts of plants, such as leaves, stems, and roots, that are consumed for their nutritional benefits. – Example sentence: “Growing vegetables in a community garden can promote sustainable food practices and reduce carbon footprints.”
Seafood – Edible marine life, including fish and shellfish, that is harvested for human consumption. – Example sentence: “Sustainable seafood practices help ensure that fish populations remain healthy and ecosystems are not overfished.”
Grains – Seeds of cereal plants, such as wheat, rice, and corn, that are staple foods in many diets around the world. – Example sentence: “Whole grains are an important part of a balanced diet, providing fiber and essential nutrients.”
Energy – The capacity to do work, which can be derived from various sources such as the sun, wind, and fossil fuels. – Example sentence: “Renewable energy sources like solar and wind power are key to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.”
