Is It Ever Okay To Throw Food Away?

Is it ever okay to throw food away?

I was raised to finish my meal, which was always whatever was shared out for me. Many different family members often told me, ‘don’t waste food, people are starving in…’

     I remember eating everything until my serving was gone. Even though I was not hungry sometimes, I ate the meal as I was told never to waste food. I felt guilty about leaving anything, so I always cleared my plate.

The irony is fast-forwarding to 2020, and I’m here in bed, wondering if I didn’t eat all the food from my plate – what will it mean? Is it wasting? If for example the peas weren’t picked to make mushy peas, they would have ripened and then died and perished.

     I completely understand that someone somewhere would have appreciated this. However, is it logical to think that my leftover portion of pasta, would make it across the world to someone in need? Or even a mile away to someone here in the UK? Then people would say it’s mean to give someone my scraps. They would rather you threw it away and purchased a meal for someone in need.

     I’m by no means advocating wasting food. I’m merely posing the question above: Is it ever okay to throw food away?

I suppose meat-eaters feel little remorse, as they subconsciously acknowledge that the meat they eat, was once a live animal. As if the animal chose to die for me to eat, to survive. Our world is deluded.

     I’m aware that many people will think, ‘share out what you need, portion control!’ But come on, how realistic is that for the masses? There are times when I’ve been out to restaurants and had a meal, where I can’t finish it all. Or when I order curry sauce and chips, the kinds of meals that can’t be reheated. I do store excess food in glass containers in the fridge, and I do try to control the portions I have. However, food will always be wasted from time to time, wouldn’t it?

I digress.

I wish we were all plant-based, as we wouldn’t have the number of issues we have today. Yes, I’m referring to the viruses that come from humans eating animals. The water in Venice runs clear for the first time in many years, fishes have returned, and swans are embracing the free flow of human-less spaces.

I know once the world has the all-clear, many of you will return to your ignorant ways. Polluting the waters, we share with other lives – although, I feel they should have priority. Many will continue to eat animal corpses; viruses will form, and we inevitably will recycle old memories in different eras.’