AVOIDING FOOD WASTAGE

 

۞ يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُوا۟ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍۢ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ ٣١

 In verse 31 of Surah al-A’raf in the Quran, it is stated thus: “O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer; eat and drink; but waste not by excess, for God loves not the wasters.”

I used to work as a waiter at an event hall in Kuala Lumpur, the event hall was very big and every event amounted to thousands of guests. That being said, the food served were also in huge portions. I still remember very vividly, the amount of leftover food was overwhelming, some of the domes have not even been touched at all, and yet, we were ordered to throw away all the leftover food. As someone who has been taught not to waste food ever since I was young, this was a horrid experience. I could imagine the amount of struggling families those food could have fed, but they were all being fed to the dumpster instead. I could not do anything then, but now that I have an opportunity to help avoid these things from happening again, albeit only by sharing tips on a blog, I will try my best to give some useful steps that can be taken to avoid further wastage, I hope that it will affect the people who are reading this.

The picture above shows all the leftover food we had to throw away

Firstly, the key to reducing food waste starts with thoughtful planning before we even step foot in a grocery store. By creating a shopping list and sticking to it, we can avoid impulse purchases and ensure we only buy what we need. Additionally, checking our pantry and refrigerator before heading out helps prevent buying duplicates of items we already have.

Secondly, proper storage plays a crucial role in prolonging the freshness and shelf life of food items. Understanding the different storage requirements of various fruits, vegetables, and perishable goods is essential. For example, storing apples separately from other fruits prevents them from ripening too quickly and spoiling the entire batch. Learning about proper storage techniques and investing in appropriate containers, like airtight jars or resealable bags, can significantly reduce food spoilage.

Other than that, being mindful of the portion sizes we serve and cook can go a long way in reducing food waste. By serving smaller portions initially, we can avoid leftovers that may eventually be discarded. Additionally, developing creative ways to use leftovers, such as transforming them into new dishes or incorporating them into the next day's meal, helps maximize food utilization.

Lastly, promoting awareness and education about food waste at schools, workplaces, and community centers is essential for cultivating a culture of responsible consumption. By organizing workshops, sharing information, and discussing the environmental impact of food waste, we can inspire others to take action and adopt sustainable habits.

Food wastage is never okay, we have heard of struggling and starving families who nibbles on tree barks because they were so hungry. It is true that we, in Malaysia do not experience these situations because there are a lot of financial support and food donation here and there. However, as written in Surah Ar-Rahman multiple times, فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ , "Then which of your Lord’s favours will you ˹humans and jinn˺ both deny?". Thus, it is important for us all to not the deny the favour of Allah SWT and avoid food wastage, even if domestically.