History Extra podcast Leftovers: how our ancestors battled food waste
Mar 25, 2024
Explore how our ancestors battled food waste, from Tudor times to WW2, with inventive tactics like potato peel recipes. Reflect on historical approaches to food waste to find solutions for today's challenges. Discover traditional diets, food preservation methods, and efficient food utilization throughout history. Learn about the evolution of food preservation techniques, from tin cans to modern challenges. Reflect on the environmental repercussions of food waste and advocate for sustainable practices based on historical insights.
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Food Waste As A Major Climate Problem
- A third of global food produced is wasted and would be the third-biggest greenhouse gas emitter if it were a country.
- Understanding the history of waste helps explain why this environmental crisis exists today.
Moral Roots Of Wasting Food
- Food waste has long been framed as a moral issue tied to inequality and religion.
- Historical sermons and biblical stories encouraged conserving and sharing leftovers with the poor.
Tudor Almoners Redistributed Scraps
- In Tudor palaces an almoner collected first cuts and leftovers and distributed them to the poor waiting at the gates.
- Henry VIII's court even ordered everyone to send scraps to two pots managed by the almoner.