Piling up and wasting away — something we’ve all been guilty of at some point, especially when we attend wedding functions, parties, or events where meals and refreshments are arranged. As soon as we see the buffet, we rush to the counter and start filling our plates to the brim. So much food, so many dishes — we want to taste everything. And in that rush, we don’t even stop to ask ourselves: Do I really need this much? Can I actually eat all of it?
We overload our plates with variety — rice, curries, breads, snacks, desserts — everything that looks good lands on our plate. There’s no space left, yet we still try to pile on more. It becomes about greed, not hunger. And the worst part? Most of us don’t even finish what we take. The moment we’re full, we throw away the leftovers without a second thought.
But here’s the question: Why did you take that extra bite if you weren’t going to eat it?
Why did you inhale the smell and pick up that food just to discard it?
When you discard the plate, the leftovers go straight into the dustbin. No one pauses to realize that the quantity of food wasted might seem small to you, but for someone else, it could be a full one-time meal — or even more than what they get in an entire day.
Unfortunately, there are some people who don’t even get a fraction of what you just threw away. According to the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, globally, over one billion meals worth of food are wasted each day.. This amounts to 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste, or 132 kilograms per capita. And the tragedy is that we will overindulge in food and snacks at the next event, the next gathering and in our own homes. Instead of giving it to the poor or consuming it in time, we will either throw it away or store it until it expires. Food wastage has almost become a habit we don’t even notice anymore.
It breaks my heart to see this.
Caterers, buffet managers, and event organizers throw away entire trays of untouched food — dumping it into drains, sewers, or in some places, even into the sea. You may not see it happening directly, but this is the bitter reality behind the scenes. And while that food sinks into the water or rots in garbage bins, somewhere nearby, someone is struggling to sleep on an empty stomach.
That one bite that was “extra” for you might have been life-saving for someone else. You may not feel the loss — but someone else definitely does.
Many people die — yes, die — from starvation, from not having even that one meal you wasted. We cannot even imagine that pain because we’ve never experienced it. When your fridge is always stocked and your plate always full, hunger feels like a far-off concept, like something that happens only in news reports or faraway villages. But the truth is, hunger lives around us — in our cities, in our streets, sometimes even in the homes of people who work for us.
So the question is: When will we start valuing what we have?
Do we need to be pushed into a crisis ourselves before we understand the worth of every grain on our plate? Or will we wait until food becomes scarce for us before we develop respect for it?
I fear that even then, some of us still won’t understand.
Something has to change. This can’t go on. We can’t keep wasting food like this.
That food didn’t magically appear on your plate. A farmer spent days — no, months — nurturing it in the fields, bearing harsh weather, risking debts, battling uncertainty just to grow what we eat. That food was then cleaned, sorted, transported, stored, cooked — often by an old woman in the kitchen who, despite her aching back, prepares meals with love and care.
Sometimes, she’s the domestic worker — your didi — who cooks that meal with care, yet may go home hungry herself. And when she sees you casually throwing away those leftovers, it might silently break her heart too.
We throw away what others dream of. That’s the painful reality.
Food is love. Food is effort. Food is a privilege.
We forget this because we’ve been conditioned to take abundance for granted. We treat full plates like a right, not a blessing. And when something comes to us too easily, we often stop valuing it.
That’s why it’s said — things that come easy are rarely respected.
But the things we sweat for, struggle for — we cherish them, protect them, value them deeply.
And yet, this isn’t about how hard you’ve worked to earn your meal. It’s about the values that should guide your choices. Being born into comfort or having access to food doesn’t give us a license to disrespect it. Whether it’s a silver spoon or a steel plate — it doesn’t matter. What matters is the mind-set you bring to the table.
“Privilege isn’t a problem — taking it for granted is.”
So no, it’s not about the food alone. It’s about mentality. It’s about how we treat the things we receive without effort. It’s about how we behave when no one is watching. Do you take more because it’s free? Do you waste because you can afford to?
These questions are uncomfortable, but necessary.
So what can we do — practically, genuinely?
- Take what you can eat. You can always go back for more. Don’t let your eyes be bigger than your stomach.
- Teach children early. Help them understand that wasting food is not cool or funny — it’s shameful.
- Event organizers and caterers must plan smarter. Coordinate with local food banks and NGOs to distribute leftovers. Leftover management should be a standard part of event planning.
- Cook thoughtfully at home. Don’t over-prepare and then throw out what no one ate.
- Acknowledge your privilege. Yes, you’re fortunate to have food every day. Don’t forget it.
We need to rewire our thinking. Every grain matters. Every meal is sacred. Every bite is a blessing. Let’s stop making food wastage so normal that we forget it’s wrong.
Because when you waste food, you’re not just wasting calories — you’re wasting someone’s hard work, someone’s time, someone’s hope. To waste food is one of the biggest wrongs we commit without even realizing.
So next time you’re at a wedding or buffet, remember:
Don’t let your greed shadow your gratitude.
Don’t pile up more than your plate can handle.
Don’t discard food like it doesn’t matter — because it does.
That one extra spoon you left behind? That might be someone’s once-in-a-lifetime meal.
It’s time to wake up:
Food wastage is not just a personal habit — it’s a global issue. And it starts with us. With me. With you. With the decisions we make in moments when we think no one is watching. Let’s change our mind-set. Let’s be grateful. Let’s be aware. Let’s stop piling up and wasting away — because somewhere out there, someone’s piling up pain just to survive another day without food.
