As global attention turns to wasted food during International Food Waste Action Week, Love Food Hate Waste NZ (LFHWNZ) has called on Kiwis to tackle household food waste.
Launching nationwide this March, the Leftover Legends Challenge invites New Zealanders to eat their leftovers for lunch the next day. Participants can log their leftover meals online for the chance to be crowned NZ’s Next Leftover Legend and win groceries for a year, thanks to Woolworths NZ.
Every year, Kiwi households send over 12,000 tonnes of leftovers to landfill, food that was once good enough to eat but never made it back to the plate.
While 96 percent of Kiwis claim to always or sometimes eat their leftovers, data from the Ministry for the Environment shows that not eating leftovers is one of the leading causes of household food waste, cited by 35 percent of people as their main reason and 52 percent as a key contributing factor.
“Eating our leftovers is one of the simplest actions households can take to cut food waste and save money - when we get creative with what’s already cooked, even small portions can become tomorrow’s free lunch and an easy win for the planet,” said Project Manager at Love Food Hate Waste, Sophie Wolland.
“Most of us don’t mean to waste food. We just forget what’s in the fridge or cook too much without thinking ahead. If everyone planned their leftovers into tomorrow’s lunch or dinner, we could save thousands of tonnes of food and make a real difference to our climate footprint.”
Household food waste costs New Zealanders an estimated NZD three billion each year, with leftovers ranking among the most commonly wasted items - alongside fruit, vegetables and bread.
Food and organic waste make up nine percent of New Zealand’s biogenic methane emissions, a gas 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years.
Being intentional with leftovers isn’t just about saving money - it’s climate action made simple.
The Leftover Legends Challenge is also being supported by businesses across New Zealand. From workplaces encouraging staff to bring leftover lunches, to food businesses helping customers waste less, saving food at home and beyond, is one of the easiest climate actions we can take.
