1.05B t
Food wasted each year
About 1.05 billion tonnes of food — 19% of what's available to consumers — was wasted in 2022.
Source: UNEP Food Waste Index 2024
Smart kitchen
Set up your kitchen so the healthy choice is the easy choice — with a stocked pantry, a little prep and smart cooking.
Key facts
≤5 °C
safe fridge temperature
2 h
max time cooked food should sit at room temperature
1/3
of food produced worldwide is lost or wasted (FAO)
3–4 days
typical fridge life of cooked leftovers
Pantry staples
Grains
Oats, brown rice, bulgur, freekeh, whole-wheat pasta.
Legumes
Dry or canned lentils, chickpeas, beans.
Flavour
Olive oil, tahini, cumin, sumac, za'atar, garlic, lemons.
Freezer
Frozen vegetables, berries, fish fillets, whole-wheat bread.
Meal prep in 5 steps
- Plan 4–5 meals for the week and write a shopping list
- Cook a big pot of grains and one of legumes
- Roast or grill a tray of vegetables and a protein
- Wash and chop salad vegetables; make one dressing
- Portion into containers — eat within 3–4 days, freeze the rest
Safe fridge storage
FoodKeep in fridge
Cooked rice and grainsUp to 1 day (rice), 3–4 days (other grains)
Cooked chicken or meat3–4 days
Cooked fish2 days
Cooked legumes and soups3–4 days
Cut fruit and vegetables2–3 days
Hummus and dips3–4 days
Healthy cooking methods
Steam
Keeps vitamins and colour in vegetables with no oil.
Bake & roast
Crispy results with a spoon of oil instead of deep frying.
Grill
Great for chicken, fish and vegetables; trim visible fat.
Stew & simmer
Builds flavour with herbs and spices instead of salt.
Simple swaps
Instead ofTry
White riceBrown rice, bulgur or freekeh
Fried falafelBaked falafel
MayonnaiseYoghurt or tahini sauce
Sugary juiceWater with lemon and mint
ChipsRoasted chickpeas or nuts
Extra saltLemon, garlic, sumac, herbs
Weekly shopping list
- Vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, leafy greens, carrots, peppers, onions
- Fruit: apples, bananas, oranges, seasonal fruit
- Protein: eggs, chicken, fish, lentils, chickpeas
- Dairy: laban, yoghurt, labneh, milk
- Grains: oats, whole-wheat bread, brown rice
- Extras: olive oil, nuts, tahini, herbs, lemons
Kitchen tip
Cool leftovers quickly in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours. When in doubt, throw it out.
World health facts
All facts60%
Food waste happens at home
Households are responsible for around 60% of all food waste.
Source: UNEP 2024
79 kg
Food each person wastes at home
The average person wastes about 79 kg of food at home every year.
Source: UNEP 2024
~1/3
Emissions from food systems
Food systems produce about a third of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: Nature Food 2021
