How smaller plates and good planning curb food waste during holy month

During Ramadan, the spirit of hospitality and generosity is abundant, as households open up to family and friends to break their fast. It is during festive periods such as the holy month that there is a surge in food waste, but experts say there is a way to reduce the problem.

Thierry Dezenclos, UAE chief executive of waste management firm Veolia, told The National that food waste can increase by as much as 50 per cent in some countries during the fasting month.

"This pattern often results from our caring instinct to ensure abundant hospitality," said Mr Dezenclos. "We tend to overestimate portion sizes, prepare extra dishes 'just in case' and offer multiple menu options for variety. These practices, while rooted in generosity, present opportunities for thoughtful planning and mindful preparation."

Food waste is an issue around the world. The UN estimates that every year $1 trillion worth is wasted. Yet more than 700 million people face chronic hunger. In the UAE, according to a report by the country's food loss and waste initiative Ne'ma published in 2023, nearly 40 per cent of food is wasted at a cost of Dh6 billion ($1.63 billion) annually.

Sustainable behaviour

Khuloud Hasan Al Nowais, secretary general of the steering committee at Ne'ma, said consumer behaviour is shifting, and the programme has been working with hotels and households to support community efforts to consume more mindfully.

Ms Al Nowais told The National that meal planning, plate sizes and using leftovers are all changes that can be made in our daily lives to prevent food waste.

"The other aspect is around the notion that, after the person has been fasting, they need to have a big plate. It is actually the contrary," she said. "You need to start eating small portions because after a full day of fasting, you don't want to hit your system with a lot of food all in one go."

Ne’ma’s first national household survey, conducted in 2022 questioned 6,083 residents, revealed households account for 61 per cent of the nation's total food waste. The study highlighted that reducing food waste at home is challenging, as it requires changing deeply ingrained daily habits.

Ms Al Nowais revealed that Ne'ma is working on research to show how much food is being wasted per person in the UAE.

Celebrating Ramadan sustainably

Hotels, too, have their sights set on more sustainable offerings this Ramadan, without compromising on quality. The Conrad in Dubai introduced an AI waste-management system in its kitchen three years ago. This has helped the business to track and monitor what is being thrown away.

This has enabled bosses to understand which dishes guests prefer and which are wasted during iftar. The hotel's signature "Green Ramadan", a project now in its third year, has cut food waste by 20 per cent since it was launched.

"The system gives us daily reports," said Ilias Doulamis, the hotel's executive chef. "From there we can really identify what has been overproduced, which recipe has not been liked by the guests, and then maybe we need to make changes, or totally remove it and do something different."

Mr Doulamis told The National that beyond waste, the drive seeks to help guests understand the importance of portion sizes. When the hotel started the project in 2023, patrons were wasting 289g per person but that number has been reduced sharply to only 40g.

The initiative has come full cycle, and food waste is now composted, according to Linda Mwaffak, commercial director at Conrad Dubai. "Last year, we had 769kg of food waste. All of this was turned into compost. So in reality, it's zero waste for last year."

The hotel has a partnership with Dubai-based firm, The WasteLab, under which food scraps are converted into organic fertiliser. The hotel has also launched an aquaponic farm on its premises, which produces 10kg of vegetables daily, complementing the domestically sourced offerings provided by the culinary team.