How can you teach food waste reduction in your nutrition education programs?

2 Educate on the impacts

One of the main objectives of your nutrition education program is to inform your audience about the impacts of food waste on the environment, the economy, and the health of themselves and others. You can use facts, figures, stories, or visuals to illustrate how food waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion, food insecurity, and malnutrition. You can also highlight the benefits of reducing food waste, such as saving money, improving food quality, and supporting social causes.

3 Demonstrate practical skills

Another important objective of your nutrition education program is to demonstrate practical skills that your audience can apply to reduce food waste at home, at school, at work, or in the community. You can use demonstrations, videos, recipes, tips, or games to show them how to plan meals, shop smartly, store food properly, use leftovers, compost scraps, or donate surplus. You can also encourage them to share their own ideas and experiences with food waste reduction.

4 Promote behavior change

To make your nutrition education program more effective, you need to promote behavior change among your audience. You can use various strategies, such as goal setting, self-monitoring, feedback, rewards, or social support, to help them adopt and maintain food waste reduction habits. You can also use nudges, prompts, or reminders to influence their choices and actions in different settings and situations.

5 Evaluate your outcomes

To measure the impact of your nutrition education program, you need to evaluate your outcomes. You can use quantitative or qualitative methods, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, or tests, to collect data on your audience's knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors before and after your program. You can also use indicators, such as food waste volume, weight, or cost, to assess the environmental, economic, and health effects of your program.

6 Communicate your results

To share the results of your nutrition education program, you need to communicate them effectively. You can use reports, presentations, posters, newsletters, or social media to disseminate your findings and recommendations to your audience, your colleagues, your organization, or your stakeholders. You can also use stories, testimonials, or visuals to showcase your successes and challenges and to inspire others to join your efforts.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?