Australia is in the midst of a food-waste crisis with new research revealing our bad habits are placing future generations at risk. 

The national survey from Australia’s leading meal kit delivery service, HelloFresh has revealed the average Aussie is throwing out up to $500 a year on waste food and ingredients, costing the nation over $12 billion annually.1 

Contributing to Australia’s 7.6 million tonnes of food waste produced annually, 60% of Aussies admit that they’ve thrown out ‘forgotten’ food and ingredients in the past year, over half (56%) have let leftovers go to waste due to poor portion planning, and 16% have admitted to ‘accidentally’ throwing out food after confusing best-before and use-by dates. 

Beyond the hip pocket, future generations are being left to pay the price environmentally with growing concerns from parents for the well-being of their kids. The findings show that 70% of Aussie parents are worried about how the nation’s poor waste habits will impact the lives of future generations, with a huge 75% calling for mandatory education in schools about preventing food waste. 

According to Carol Carneiro, Early Childhood Education Chef from Kool Beanz Academy, by engaging and educating children from an early age on the importance of reducing food waste, parents have the opportunity to inspire the next generation of climate leaders. 

Carneiro explains: 

“When it comes to teaching kids about the importance of sustainability, there’s no such thing as too early. “ 

1 Calculated via Australian population figures x $500 per person

“HelloFresh’s research shows that 80% of parents believe their own food waste habits will influence that of their kids. This couldn’t be more true, so it’s crucial to lead by example by adopting climate-friendly food waste strategies in your home, and engage your children with meaningful, hands-on experience.” 

“From games and activities like using leftovers to creating delicious meals, to practical advice on how to reduce food scraps with pre-portioned ingredients like those from HelloFresh, teaching kids about food waste through play is the best way to set up future generations for success.” 

Giving Aussie parents the tools to teach eco-friendly living, HelloFresh has partnered with Kool Beanz to create a first-of-its-kind food-waste workshop for kids – Climate Superstars Camp. 

On the October 12, 2024, the free workshop will see young food waste warriors dive into a series of interactive activities from ‘food detective adventures’ to ‘natural cleaning potion labs’, giving kids the practical skills and knowledge to become climate leaders. 

Leaving no aspiring superstars behind, the full set of ‘camp-tivities’ has been made freely available online, allowing families across Australia to get involved in the food-waste fun. 

By sourcing ingredients directly from Aussie suppliers and delivering produce without any detours HelloFresh removes multiple steps from the traditional supply chain. All HelloFresh meals feature pre-portioned ingredients, meaning you only receive what’s needed, saving on food waste. 

HelloFresh Australia CEO, Tom Rutledge, comments: 

“Providing Australians with more sustainable meal choices has always been a core goal at HelloFresh. From our supply chain offering 15% less carbon emissions than the same meals made from supermarkets, to pre-portioned meals keeping more on your plate and less in landfill, we want to change the way people eat forever.” 

“Reducing food waste is one of the most effective ways we can reduce our individual climate impact, and through Climate Superstars Camp, we’re helping Aussie households take steps to make a difference.” 

Aussies looking to sign up for Climate Superstars Camp can visit the link HERE to secure their spot at this School Holiday’s most scrap-tacular experience. 

Parents can also visit HERE for the full list of free camp-tivites.