As kids sitting around the dinner table, fussing over the last bits of food on our plates, my dad often muttered the words ‘waste not, want not’.
Back then, I knew very little about the food on my plate, except what I liked and didn’t like.
While some things haven’t changed (I’m still pretty firm on what I like and don’t like), I’m proud to say I now have an appreciation for food…and I’m not just talking about the lip smacking goodness of tasty, tasty food!
I now know the importance of having better living conditions for farm animals that provide us with food. I know my decisions (yep – just little old me) when buying eggs and meat can make a real impact to improving farm animal welfare. And I now also know my ability as a consumer to waste less.
This Christmas, I’m challenging myself (and you!) to 2 things;
1. If you choose to eat meat and eggs make sure higher welfare food is on the table, and
2. Waste less by getting creative in the kitchen and using leftovers.
This year we’ve seen lots of chatter (and action) on sustainability and minimising food waste. The last 12 months has also delivered some great outcomes for improving the welfare of farm animals. More animals are now farmed to the RSPCA’s higher welfare standards than ever before and more RSPCA Approved products are available for people wanting to support humanely farmed food.
Purchasing higher welfare products can cost a little more. Reason being, it costs farmers more to achieve better welfare standards. Simply put – there are less animals, more space for animals to move around than in conventional systems and things like perches and toys to keep animals entertained and exercised.
So in addition to the ‘feel good factor’ and knowing an animal has been farmed in better conditions, by using as much as the product as possible and wasting less, the extra cost of humanely farmed food can be easily justified!
So think about what you’re putting in your shopping basket and use your humanely farmed food wisely. Download our recipe ideas for Christmas leftovers. We’d love to hear your own ideas for supporting humane food and wasting less this festive season.
Chicken & roast veg frittata
Pulled turkey slider
Pea & ham soup
Mini passionfruit & raspberry pavs
