Let's Talk About Your Fridge Leftovers: Carla's Take on Food Waste

In today’s community call, we (dumpster)-dived into the topic of food waste in Hong Kong. Founder of Hong Kong award-winning food saving app CHOMP, Carla Martinesi, answered questions from our community with topics ranging from the leading contributors to food waste in the supply chain to the psychology of food waste and tips on how to be more sustainable - all whilst demonstrating how to utilise an overripe banana and turn it into some scrumptious cookies (keep reading for the recipe).

For anyone looking to transform their kitchen habits, here’s a recap of the key takeaways that are already changing how our members shop, cook, and consume.

The Food Waste Problem in Hong Kong

Did you know that Hong Kong ranks significantly high as a food-waste-generating city per capita?

• 3,600 tons of food is thrown away daily, which is the equivalent of 27 double decker buses

• 40% of landfills are filled with food

• 13 million bowls of rice are thrown away daily

So what can you do in your everyday life to reduce your personal impact? 

Many think reducing waste is just about eating leftovers. Our discussion clarified that it’s a much more robust system that can also help you set your weekly routine up and be more intentional when consuming food. Here are some practical strategies Carla mentioned that could help reduce your impact as well as some sustainable resources to look into:

Your Kitchen Habits Are Your Foundation

The number one tip was to consciously build a routine before the waste happens. Be specific in your prep: dedicate time to meal plan, and cook grains and sauces in batches. This isn’t about being a “superchef”; it’s about giving your future, tired self the gift of a ready meal, reducing the urge to order in. Do a fridge audit and see what’s hiding in the back before it’s too late, organising to optimise for less wastage. For example, have a pen near the fridge to label food production dates and re-order the fridge with condiment expiry left-to-right rather than front-to-back.

Conscious Sourcing - Shopping in Bulk or at Farmers Markets!

This is about your kitchen’s connection to the wider world. It’s built by creating "votes of confidence" for better systems, like shopping at local farmers markets (e.g. Pier 3) or buying in bulk to reduce your plastic use (e.g. Slowood, Live zero, Spicebox organics).

Reclaiming Your Scraps with Creativity

It is possible to see potential where we once saw waste. This involves learning the art of preservation—pickling, canning (with safe hygiene and disinfecting habits!), and composting, whether with a sleek Lomi food recycler or a trip to the Hong Kong government’s public purple composting bins located in Wan Chai Yau Tsim Mong. Also, leverage your freezer like a pro; it’s not just for frozen peas! You can freeze batch-cooked sauces, bread, leftovers, and even leftover herbs in olive oil to instantly boost your future meals and make "what’s for dinner?" a much easier question to answer.

Reframing the Psychology of Food Waste

Some of us might have grown up with our parents reminding us “Don’t waste food, there are starving children in Africa” or “You will have an ugly husband if you don’t finish all your rice.” This, while well intentioned, may have led to unhealthy eating habits and disorders.

As the next generation of adults, we are all hoping to find the balance between breaking the negative narrative of food waste guilt with being conscious of our food consumption habits. Awareness is a great first step as is having positive conversations about the benefits of reducing food waste and setting systems in place to pack away leftovers and repurpose for future meals.

The Gift of Systemic Awareness and Education

This journey is about more than our kitchens; it's about rediscovering our role in a larger chain. We can choose to support charities like Impact HK and More Good, both of whom repurpose food meant for landfill and re-distribute to the homeless, and businesses that prioritise sustainability and give back to our community.

When we build a culture of food waste reduction, it makes forming habits much easier. Make sure you’re having conscious conversations with friends, colleagues and your children to break bad habits and advocate for change through education programs in our schools and lobbying the government, recognising that a vast amount of waste happens long before food reaches us, due to transportation losses and aesthetic standards that reject a crooked banana. 

A huge thank you to Carla!

In summary, while food waste is a systemic problem, these small food waste hacks help make us more conscientious consumers and better caretakers of our planet.

If you are looking to support Carla, give her a follow on Instagram to watch more tips on reducing your food waste and check out the CHOMP Instagram and website for more food-saving hacks and recipes.

Don’t forget to also download the CHOMP app today to start saving excess food for yourself!