"Can you guess which foods are most likely to end
up in your green bin at home? Vitamin-packed
fruits and vegetables. They make up over 40% of
what we let go to waste. But the good news is, with
a few easy changes you can help your family "take
a bite" out of food waste."
As they have done in the eight previous books from the Orca Think series, Orca Book Publishers brings another meaningful issue to the attention of middle grade readers. While so many families in the world are struggling with food insecurity, much food is being wasted on a daily basis.
"... food waste is a major problem all over the world.
Every day, in grocery stores, restaurants, our homes
and even school cafeterias, good food is tossed in the
trash. ... We're talking about massive amounts of usable
food, in countries around the globe."
Readers are invited to take a careful look at their own food waste, and encouraged to find ways to lessen the impact. Some people in our own towns and cities are going hungry while others are throwing away perfectly good food. Why? And what can each one of us do to change that?
In five informative and impactful chapters, Erin Silver introduces her target audience to the fundamental problems that food waste creates and how making changes will reduce landfills, increase food security and help to fight climate change. She begins at home - in fridges that are too often filled with more food than a family can possibly consume in a week. A quick trip to the grocery store for one or two things only adds to the abundance, if we shop without a list and spontaneously buy non-essential items. How often does that happen for your family?
A lot of research has been done and digested before citing the amount of waste that comes from our homes. Ms. Silver offers many practical and easy ways for families to work together to change that. For families who live in poverty, it can be a more difficult task to consider options.
Each chapter is written in a conversational and inviting ways. Illustrations are helpful and add contextual meaning by including captioned charts and graphs, and colorful images. Clear, color photographs are also useful and telling. In one image, a stack of burgers represents the scale of U.S. food waste, while Canada’s stack is poutine, Belgium’s is waffles, and France’s is macarons.
Bits + Bites information boxes are plentiful, adding needed information. Food for Thought paragraphs encourage readers to think clearly about some of the issues that can be incorporated into daily living and making changes for the better. Profiles of FOOD-WASTE HEROS let readers see that there are many people working tirelessly to improve conditions and find ways to make the world a better place. They suggest eating locally as much as possible, cooking meatless meals, taking surplus food to those who need it, helping to plant a community garden, feeding our scraps to animals and composting.
Why not try shopping smarter with your family, cooking together, and using leftovers for another meal. Even taking care to store the food you have in the proper place in your fridge helps to keep it fresh for a longer time. We can make a difference if we have the information we need to do it. This book is sure to help with making better choices.
Back matter includes a glossary, a long list of resources, and helpful websites.
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