ABSTRACT
Food waste is a concern across the entire food system. Globally it is estimated that 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted from food systems each year. In this chapter the focus is on food waste as a core characteristic of consuming a healthy and sustainable diet. The relationship between food waste and healthy and sustainable diets is discussed from four particular perspectives: (1) essential nutrients are lost as food waste; (2) food waste minimisation is a core characteristic of a sustainable diet; (3) trends towards healthier diets generate unavoidable food waste; and (4) overconsumption of food beyond nutritional requirement represents an unnecessary environmental burden. At the household level, the adoption of waste minimisation strategies is intrinsic to the consumption of a healthy and sustainable diet. At the systems level, the prevention rather than diversion of food waste remains the most advantageous approach to the future.
