I grew up in a household where food doesn't go to waste π. Don't get me wrong, my parents are hoarders. Somehow with just the two of them in the house, they now own not one but two fridges π§! Why, you may ask. I can only shrug. It baffles me how much food ππ₯¬π₯π₯π₯©π₯ they keep in their house, but that doesn't mean food goes to waste. In the Siu family π¨βπ©βπ§βπ§, food always gets eaten.
Thatβs possible because my dad is such an amazing cook π¨π»βπ³ he can turn anything into a miracle β¨. And I think, other than knowing how to store food to prolong their shelf life, knowing what to do with B-grade or excess food is actually crucial in how we tackle food waste.
Food waste & hunger have always been issues close to my heart. I love eating, enjoy cooking and learning about food in general. It pains me πΏ to know tonnes of perfectly edible food goes to landfill daily and yet so many in society go to bed hungry every night.
OzHarvest π½ was the first not-for-profit organisation I got involved with, back in Sydney π¦πΊ. I was fortunate enough to be seated next to Ronni Kahn, the founder/ CEO of OzHarvest, at a fundraising π° dinner hosted by my then employer Macquarie Bank. Over our meal, Ronni explained the mission of OzHarvest and the chronic issue of food waste. She made a lasting impression on me, and continues to inspire me to this day.
When we relocated to Hong Kong ππ°, it wasnβt long before I discovered Feeding Hong Kong π, a food bank founded by the unstoppable Gabrielle Kirstein. We started volunteering with FHK back when the bread run ππββοΈ program was in its nascency, and Gabrielle had to train each of us herself! The idea behind the FHK bread run is simple. Gabrielle established partnerships with a number of bakery chains and arranged volunteers (aka the βbread runnersβ) to pick up unsold bread at store close and transport π to a central drop off location, for FHK to then redistribute π to charities. I started out as a casual bread runner, and later took on a coordinator role stationed at their warehouse π on bread run evenings. Eventually I was dissatisfied with the limit of my personal impact, I realised I needed to rally the troops π©π½βππ¨πΌβπ so I onboarded Feeding Hong Kong to the corporate volunteering program at my then employer JPMorgan and established a monthly corporate bread run program using our offices as drop off points π.
Of late, weβve been picking up surplus food on two apps: Too Good To Go and Karma. These apps focus on reducing food waste as their primary goal, rather than feeding the hungry. They serve as marketplaces π€ for unsold/ near expiry food, where businesses and consumers meet. Eateries/ stores put up what they have left at the end of a business day at heavy discounts (usually at least 60% off), consumers such as I select and pay through the app just like any e-commerce platform π. Karma lists the exact items remaining on the day, and sale starts after the shop inputs their list. Too Good To Go on the other hand uses a reservation model, which allows for better planning β°πΊ, but in exchange consumers receive a βmagic bag πβ not knowing whatβs inside. Of course, there are broad categories to filter upon, such as baked goods π§/ groceries π₯/ vegetarian meals π₯/ snacks π«/ drinks π§ but I wouldnβt know if Iβd be picking up a bag full of apples π or aubergines π.
We use Karma to pick up sourdough from Ole & Steen. Usually what I do is I freeze βοΈ the loaf as soon as itβs brought home (Freezers are a meal prepperβs best friend π), and toast the slice(s) I need on the day using our air fryer β¨οΈ. And we use Too Good To Go for fresh produce such as fruits π, veg π₯¬ and cheese π§. Given the ability to reserve and plan, I recommend doing pick ups on days when you have time to sort through the goodies as some may be best consumed straight away βοΈ, then assess and plan when the rest needs to be finished. To use up ripe veggies, a curry/ stew π is a versatile option; and fruits a jam or smoothie π₯€.
The unpredictable content of the magic bags is what I think some basic culinary skills π©π»βπ³ come in handy. It takes a little bit of common sense, experience and knowledge of ingredients (sometimes foreign to what you would normally buy yourself). Thatβs the reason having a go-to but flexible recipe that calls for household staples π§ helps immensely. Personally I really enjoy the randomness and creativity these magic bags demand, here are a few of my recent creations from our Too Good To Go hauls:
What is a dish π± youβve made to not throw away some ugly delicious food? Comment below!
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I have been enjoying so many creative dishes in the last year or so. In the war to waste, we rescue unwanted fruits and veg on a weekly basis thanks to Oddbox. That has forced me to improvise and create yummy meals out of food I didn't even know existed. A nice recent discovery has been celeriac oven baked chips!
For any leftovers, or items you really cannot use, I recommend OLIO app, works every time and stops food wasting. Thank you for sharing Christine!
I bought a lot of near expiry sourdough, fresh cream or other meat too if the price is very much reduced. I seldom need to throw away food.