The issue about food waste is a complex topic and even when you feel like you understand it, it is still hard to fully avoid sometimes. A few years ago, when I started growing fruits and vegetables on my balcony, I never threw away anything that I harvested. I knew how much effort, energy and care it took to grow paprika, tomatoes, or strawberries. Next to these experiments, I also read books and listened to podcasts around the issue. Here we have some of them that really helped me to understand and appreciate food even more!
Podcast
Founded and hosted by the married couple Ella and Matthew Mills, the podcast welcomes guests from business, health and nutrition backgrounds to share their stories and advice. Ella and Matthew cover topics such as morning routines, diet myths, or what nutritions are and why we should pay more attention to them.
In each episode, Venetia – a passionate advocate for sustainable fashion and plant-based, low-waste living – talks with a special guest about their lifestyle covering topics within In each episode, Venetia – a passionate advocate for sustainable fashion and plant-based, low-waste living – chooses a special guest to share insights into her or his lifestyle. Venetia and the guests cover topics within sustainability but also start a conversation on the surrounding topics, including mental health, activism, sustainable living, and entrepreneurship.
Neil and Gabe make sense of some of the most divisive environmental concerns of our time. Their inquisitive, entertaining and occasionally absurd adventures take them across Germany, talking with climate protesters, sorting through household rubbish and fighting food waste.
Made by Merel Wildschut from De Groene Meisjes (the Green Girls) and Dennis Gaens from Ondercast, the podcast discovers problems and solutions to food waste. The duo highlights Dutch initiatives such as Kromkommer, InStock and Rotpot.
Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus help over 20 million people to live meaningful lives with less through their website, books, podcast, and documentary. In each episode they discuss what it means to live a more meaningful life with less.
Books
Carlo Petrinin was against the concept of fast food and set up the Slow Food Movement in Italy around the time when the first McDonalds opened its doors in Rome. Today, millions of people from over 160 countries are involved in working to ensure that everyone has access to good, clean, and fair food.
Slow Food believes food is tied to many other aspects of life, including culture, politics, agriculture and the environment. Through the food we eat, we collectively influence how food is cultivated, produced and distributed, which gives us the power to change the world as a result.
“Eating Animals” by Jonathan Safran Foer
Jonathan Safran Foer struggled with being a vegetarian for years. After the birth of his son, he was determined to understand why we eat animals and what are the consequences of doing so on an economical, environmental and health level. The book is in part a memoir and in part an investigation into the monocultures of America and what actually ends up on our plate.
“More Plants Less Waste” by Max La Manna
Max La Manna is the king of reducing food waste and waste in general. In his debut book, “More Plants Less Waste”, he shares vegan recipes and zero waste tips that go hand in hand. He daily shares tips and recipes that are easy to make and motivate you to reduce your waste on his instagram account.
“The First Mess” by Laura Wright
Laura Wright grew up with fresh food on her father’s farm. In the summers, she would pick raspberries from the garden and sell them the next day on the farmers’ market before it was a usual thing to do. After studying environmental ethics and nutritional culinary management she started her blog The First Mess. This blog became a vibrant, plant-based cookbook with seasonal recipes. On her instagram account, Laura shares tips and recipes daily.
“Mari plukt de dag” by Mari Maris (in Dutch)
Mari Maris lives in the southern part of France where she grows her own fruits and vegetables. In her book, she shares 607 recipes and 1001 tips and tricks divided into four seasons. Easy recipes with a few ingredients (that you can grow or wild pluck yourself) included in this book make you want to live on a farm. Next to the recipes, Mari also writes short stories about the ingredients and how she grew and harvested them.
