Negotiating food waste: Using a practice lens to inform design

A high sense of guilt about throwing away food is expressed by the majority of households.

“In addition, a high sense of guilt about throwing away food is expressed by the majority of households (Ganglbauer et al., 2013;Grandhi and Appaiah Singh, 2016;Parizeau et al., 2015;Pearson et al., 2016;Qi and Roe, 2016;Quested et al., 2013;Stefan et al., 2013).”

There is ample evidence that people are uncomfortable with wasting food due to the perceived value of food itself.

“Moreover, there is ample evidence that people are uncomfortable with wasting food due to the perceived value of food itself (Ganglbauer et al., 2013;Graham-Rowe et al., 2014;Watson and Meah, 2012).”

Ethical considerations regarding a lack of food in other countries have been noted by a number of authors.

“Ethical considerations regarding a lack of food in other countries have been noted by a number of authors (Blichfeldt et al., 2015;Ganglbauer et al., 2013;Neff et al., 2015;Pearson et al., 2016).”

Stockpiling food for unexpected occasions is seen to reduce stress and save time, but could lead to buying more products than one can consume in a timely manner.

“Stockpiling food for unexpected occasions is seen to reduce stress and save time, but could lead to buying more products than one can consume in a timely manner (Ganglbauer et al., 2013;Graham-Rowe et al., 2014).”

Consumers who are busy with work and/or leisure time tend to not look into the fridge prior to shopping, and therefore are more prone to purchase something that is already at home.

“Furthermore, consumers who are busy with work and/or leisure time, tend to not look into the fridge prior to shopping, and therefore are more prone to purchase something that is already at home (Ganglbauer et al., 2013).”

Self-grown and harvested food is less likely to be thrown away because people are more aware of the time and effort that was put into producing it.

“Ganglbauer et al. (2013), in their qualitative study in Austria, have observed that self-grown and harvested food is less likely to be thrown away because people are more aware of the time and effort that was put into producing it.”

A perceived lack of time may prevent one from cooking planned meals for which ingredients have already been bought.

“Additionally, a perceived lack of time may prevent one from cooking planned meals for which ingredients have already been bought (Ganglbauer et al., 2013;Watson and Meah, 2012).”

The unpredictability of eating patterns, driven by unexpected dinner invitations or spontaneously spending time with friends, leads to foods remaining uneaten and, in turn, wasted.

“This unpredictability of eating patterns, driven by unexpected dinner invitations or spontaneously spending time with friends, leads to foods remaining uneaten and, in turn, wasted (Evans, 2012;Ganglbauer et al., 2013;Waitt and Phillips, 2016).”

Cooking based on what is stored at home is an effective waste prevention strategy.

“An effective waste prevention strategy is cooking based on what is stored at home (Ganglbauer et al., 2013;Graham-Rowe et al., 2014;Watson and Meah, 2012).”

Families with children find it difficult to predict whether their children will be eating at home at all.

“Second, families with children find it difficult to predict whether their children will be eating at home at all (Cappellini and Parsons, 2012;Evans, 2011a;Ganglbauer et al., 2013;Porpino et al., 2015).”

The unpredictability of appetite holds true also for adults.

“The unpredictability of appetite, albeit for different reasons, holds true also for adults (Ganglbauer et al., 2013).”

Some studies find a positive correlation between income and food waste.

“Some studies find a positive correlation between income and food waste (Ganglbauer et al., 2013;Stancu et al., 2016)”

Single households' high per capita waste is linked to the lifestyles of single persons.

“which is linked to the lifestyles of single persons (Ganglbauer et al., 2013).”

Hospitality is a category that emerged in the study and is embedded in the practice of 'having a social life' identified by Ganglbauer et al. (2013).

“Hospitality, a category that emerged in our study, is embedded in the practice of 'having a social life', identified by Ganglbauer et al. (2013).”