Reducing Food Waste, Mindful Eating and Sustainability
Miles Kreinbring | April 10, 2025
Alright, we all know there’s a lot of talk around here about the food at Glad. It’s not exactly everyone’s favorite. But what if we could fix that? Here's a simple solution you may not have thought about: Let’s talk about working to reduce our food waste.
Before you start thinking this is some kind of lecture to “eat less” or “don’t grab that extra portion,” that’s not at all our intention. The message is simple: be present and aware. Slow down for a second and really think about what your body needs for the day. We’re all guilty of grabbing whatever when we’re in a rush, not paying attention to whether we’re actually hungry or not. Instead of overloading a plate and not finishing, or taking a large portion and then not liking that dish, take less at first and return for more if needed.
According to measurements taken by CORE Crew over the course of this semester, we create an average of 310 lbs of food waste every day. According to numbers from Feeding America, that daily amount of waste could feed a family of four for over three weeks! Imagine what we could do if we reduced that amount!
Our food is our medicine. That is the tea. Whatever medicine your body craves for the day, you listen to it and decide. If we all take what we know and understand that we need, that mindfulness creates less waste. In creating less food waste, we do not have to spend more of our budget on shipping less environmentally-friendly options from further afield and instead use those savings to buy more local. Given the impacts of Helene on our region, we should be doing all we can to support our local economy.
If we all acted more intentionally about our choices and portions instead of just going on autopilot, we’d end up wasting far less food. Less waste means less cost. Less cost allows for buying more local food. And you know what that means: fresher, better food. That’s the dream, right?
We all want to eat better, more nourishing meals. For ourselves and for our community. Buying local isn’t just great for us, it’s also better for the environment. And here’s another thing to think about: if we really cut down on waste, we might even qualify for grants or programs that help bring more local food to campus. More fresh, wholesome meals? Yes, please. Let’s eat like we’re at a five-star restaurant.