Cut Food Waste: Tips from Food Bank Experts

Cancún, Quintana Roo — The Food Bank Network is promoting various initiatives to foster greater awareness among the general population and businesses in the tourism sector—especially restaurants and hotels—about the importance of consuming only what is necessary. This was stated by María Teresa García Plata, the regional director for Latin America and Canada of the Global Food Bank Network, who emphasized that it is essential to value every food item, as the work involved in its production, storage, and distribution is often overlooked.

"There is much to be done. Although our country does not lead the world in household food waste, it does have a considerable level. The more we value what we eat, the easier it will be to drive change," she highlighted.

She recalled that in a tourist zone like Quintana Roo, the amount of food generated often exceeds real demand, which increases the risk of waste. Therefore, she underscored the importance of fostering shared responsibility between producers and consumers to ensure more responsible practices.

García Plata recommended that citizens purchase only what is necessary, plan weekly menus, find creative uses for leftovers, and learn to reuse previously prepared foods. She also suggested maintaining proper organization in pantries and refrigerators to avoid unnecessary losses.

During the last year, the Food Bank Network managed to recover 760 million kilograms of food that were about to be wasted, benefiting 38 million people in vulnerable situations. At the local level, the Quintana Roo Food Bank rescued more than 112,000 food packages in 2024, supporting 4,411 families through agreements with hotels and restaurants that donated their surplus.