As cost of living pressures continue, a new national challenge has launched to help households reduce food waste, one of the simplest ways to save money at home.
Research by End Food Waste Australia suggests households throw away more than $200 worth of food each month, or around $2,500 a year per household, because food is bought but not eaten.
To help households keep more money in their weekly budget, The Great Unwaste, a national behaviour change campaign focused on reducing household food waste, has launched The Food Waste Challenge. The free digital activity is open to all Australians.
Developed through behavioural research and tested in a national pilot, The Food Waste Challenge encourages households to practise seven actions to reduce waste and save money without changing what they buy. These include flexible meal planning, storing food correctly and reimagining meals using leftovers.
Feedback from the pilot showed 99 per cent of participants enjoyed the experience and 87 per cent found the tasks easy. Confidence in knowing how to reduce household food waste increased from 33 per cent to 80 per cent after completing the challenge.
“Australians aren’t wasting food on purpose – they’re just busy and juggling work, family and rising costs,” said End Food Waste Australia chief executive officer Tristan Butt.
“Although these pressures can sometimes feel locked in, food waste is one area where small, low-effort changes can deliver fast wins, without cutting back on the foods you love.”
“The challenge shows how a few simple changes during the week can keep hundreds of dollars in household budgets and stop perfectly good food from going to waste.”
The launch follows the release of Finder’s Cost of Living Pressure Gauge, which found 75 per cent of Australians are feeling stressed about their finances.
The Great Unwaste is encouraging households to take part together, share their progress and see how much money and food can be saved in a single week without changing what they buy or eat.