Third of the world’s food wasted each year
Should food be more imperfect? Studies show that food waste is a huge problem, but how can we learn to love wonky vegetables?
Is every carrot beautiful? Not if you ask the average shopper.
Researchers have found that people are suspicious of wonky fruit and veg. You might prefer a straight carrot, but could your prejudice cost the earth?
A third of all food, and up to half of all fruit and vegetables, end up rotting uneaten. This releases gases that contribute to climate change.
Carrots come in all shapes and sizes. If they are grown organically, they are unlikely to be regular.
Wonky veg are just as good for you, but too many people find it hard to shake the stereotypes.
In fact, according to the study, conducted at Ohio State University, customers do not just need to be told that wonky veg is good for you. They have to be made to feel guilty about food waste.
Maybe they should feel guilty. Households in the UK waste five million tonnes of food each year.
In total, 50 million tonnes of food in Europe is wasted just for cosmetic reasons.
Climate change itself might soon make our vegetables grow misshapen, as conditions get hotter or dryer.
While many blame supermarkets for setting unrealistic veg beauty standards, Morrisons, Waitrose and Lidl have all recently come out with more diverse veg ranges.
Now, experts say, customers need to start buying them.
Build the Change Challenge
Vegetables can come in all shapes and sizes, but they all taste the same. Can you plan a meal to help people use lots of vegetables?
Step 1: Think about your design!
What vegetables will you use in your meal? How can wonky carrots
or peppers be part of a dessert?
Step 2: Create your design! Write down a recipe for or draw a picture of your meal, or if you have time, build your wonky veg restaurant using LEGO® bricks or bits of recycling.
See what other builders made
