Ramadan has a deep connection with food. Ramadan teaches us to do everything in moderation but wasting food during the Holy month should be a great concern for everyone.

Every year during Ramadan, we have an extravagant display of Iftar and Sehri buffet in restaurants across Pakistan. Not only in restaurants but private Iftar, Sehri gatherings and even ordering food at homes also have an alarming amount of food wastage.

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How much food is wasted in Pakistan?

According to a report, an estimated 36 million ton of food is wasted every year in Pakistan and that’s almost 40% of the total food chain (from farms/factories to consumption). 

And the major portion of it is wasted during the month of Ramadan and wedding ceremonies.So Foodnerd has listed down 4 ways to reduce the food waste in the Holy month of Ramadan.

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1: Measure and Manage

There’s a simple rule, if you can measure it you can manage it. 

Whether you’re cooking at home, running a restaurant or a wedding hall, making food waste prevention a priority is only possible when you know what you’re throwing away. 

Measuring and keeping an eye on food waste help in knowing where the reduction can be made. This method can save you money and help the environment.

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2: Analyze Plate waste and size

Monitor the waste and serving in the optimal plate size can satisfy guests while reducing the food wastage at the same time. 

If you offer food on a smaller plate, it would lead people to believe that they are consuming more food and hence there will be less food consumed, less food leftover, and less time spent on preparing food. 

Thus, this time can be utilized in adding value elsewhere, for instance, quality. This is a better way of time and resources.

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3: Put the right food at the right place in Buffet

Put the most inexpensive or cheapest type of food at the start of the buffet. 

People are more likely to fill up their plates and have leftovers from these items. Most chefs find it hard to find a balance between making their buffet look full and the requirement to reduce food waste. 

Experiment with different approaches and try putting high-value expensive items in certain positions or using shallower bowls that are refilled more often.

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4: Make it a group effort

Food waste is related to society and it should be discussed openly to address the issue. 

We as a society need to realize that food leftover should not end in a garbage can but in such a way that it is used to feed food deprived population. 

One of the reasons for food waste is overproduction, cooking and/or spoilage. 

We need to focus on which areas generate more food wastage and then manage it with inventory management, stock rotation, and production adjustments. Only then, we can have better control over food waste.