The Savings Book

“The Savings Book” suggests 120 handy tips to fight food waste, inside and outside the home, to leverage food from a nutritional, environmental and economic point of view. With a more conscious approach to storage, preparation, purchase and consumption, a family that avoids waste can save up to €500 per year*.

* These calculations are based on a study conducted by the University of Bologna, coordinated by Claudia Giordano in collaboration with the Barilla Foundation, which estimated the economic value of food waste in Italy at 2024 foodstuff prices

Introduction
Storage
Zero-waste cooking
Leftovers
Shopping
Eating out
The Savings Book

120 handly tips to avoid food waste and save both inside and outside home.

Barilla Foundation
Barilla Foundation

Introduction

by Fondazione Barilla

Reducing food waste is a great opportunity to improve our quality of life; it helps us not only to make the most of food and protect our planet, but also to promote a genuine culture of saving.

Indeed, a more conscious approach could save every family up to €500 per year. We can eat more healthily, help the environment and save money, all at the same time.

Every little helps: from planning meals more thoroughly and storing food properly to reusing leftovers and parts of food that we often consider waste, such as peels and stems.

This book offers practical advice and daily actions you can easily take, based on robust scientific evidence. Enjoy it and have fun saving!

Barilla Foundation

Introduction

by Marta Antonelli
PhD, Research Director, Fondazione Barilla

Food waste is both an environmental and an economic issue. Losses along the supply chain and food waste generate up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Halving waste by 2030 is one of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. Through collaboration with other research groups, we have estimated that food waste in Italy is worth up to €500 per year, a figure comparable to what a family spends on groceries in a month.

Preventing and reducing food waste is within everyone's reach: together we can improve the quality of our diet, reduce pressure on the environment and also make the most of the food we put on the table. That’s why we have put together a collection of 120 handy tips, based on an in-depth and thorough analysis of scientific literature. An opportunity not to be missed!

*These calculations are based on a study conducted by the University of Bologna, coordinated by Claudia Giordano in collaboration with the Barilla Foundation.

Barilla Foundation

Introduction

by Riccardo Valentini
Professor of Ecology, University of Tuscia, Nobel Peace Prize with the IPCC

Every year, about one-third of the food produced globally is wasted, from farm to fork. This is equivalent to more than a billion tons of food, representing a huge loss from an ethical, economic and, not least, environmental point of view. Indeed, when we waste food we should think that we are also wasting the resources used to produce it, such as water, land and energy.

With a more conscious approach, from the kitchen at home to the market and restaurant table, we can take care of our Earth and help ensure a healthier environment for generations to come.

This book is a call to action, inviting us to become protagonists of positive change through the small steps we can take to improve our daily lives. Fighting food waste is not only common sense, it is also a way of showing love for our planet.

The Savings Book

Storage

Chapter 01
Storage
Lots of simple, practical advice on how to properly keep food fresh and safe.
Freezing is one of the easiest and most practical ways of storing food and extending its shelf life by up to several months.

Freezer burns are caused by direct exposure of frozen food to cold, dry air.

This dehydrates the food and causes changes in flavor and color, while still keeping it edible.

Put food in freezer bags or packaging to preserve its taste and appearance.

Check how long each ingredient can be kept frozen

If you defrost a dish, you can only refreeze it after it has been cooked.

Food can only be kept frozen for a certain amount of time. In general, cooked foods should not be kept frozen for more than one or two months, fish and red meat for three or four months depending on cut and type.

Butter and portions of poultry will keep for up to about nine months. Fruits and vegetables last longer, between eight months and a year.

Food can even be frozen close to its expiration date. However, remember to consume it immediately after defrosting, as it may spoil faster than if it had been frozen earlier.

Butter left open in the refrigerator is likely to turn yellow within a few weeks.

To avoid this, cut it into cubes and freeze them individually, wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Or spread them out on a tray until they are frozen, then transfer them to an airtight container.

That way, butter can last for six to nine months!

It’s best to freeze white and red meats raw, to maintain their nutritional and sensory properties for longer.

On the other hand, cooking it before freezing usually causes a loss of moisture and the risk of a drier final product.

Vegetables should not all be stored in the same way. Each type of vegetable requires specific tips and methods to ensure optimal freezing and extend shelf life without altering the taste and texture too much.

There are lots of data and tables online providing guidance on the proper freezing times and slicing techniques.

The best way to freeze most vegetables is to expose them to high temperatures for a few minutes, then cool them immediately.

This method is known as blanching which helps to preserve the flavor, color, texture and nutritional properties of a food.

Boiled in a pot or steamed

Leafy vegetables, such as chard and spinach, have a delicate structure and lose their crunch when frozen.

Put them in the freezer only if you plan to eat them cooked.

If you want to freeze cauliflower or broccoli, wash and cut them into regular-sized florets, then cook them in boiling water or steam for a few minutes.

After that, cool immediately under cold water and freeze.

You can do the same with other vegetables, such as carrots and celery.

N.B.: Leeks and onions should be frozen raw, already sliced

Overloading the freezer can slow down the freezing process and damage the products kept inside.

Try not to freeze too much food all at once.

The safest way to defrost a food is to put it in the refrigerator, best of all on a plate to avoid spillage.

If you don’t have time to wait for a food item to thaw slowly in the refrigerator, put it in a leak-proof bag and submerge in cold water. This alternative method works best with fruits and vegetables.

Fruits such as blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries have a delicate structure. When frozen, their flesh loses texture and firmness.

They can still be used in different kinds of preparations, such as compotes and sweet or savory sauces, or as an ingredient in a smoothie.

The temperature is not the same throughout the refrigerator: choose the right place for each food to store it in the best way and for longer.

The coldest place (1) in the refrigerator is usually the bottom shelf, just above the vegetable drawers; the middle is around 4-5°C, and the least cold part is in the door.

Knowing these temperatures will help you store food on the right shelves (2).

(1) about 2°C (2) The right shelf for every food!

Meat and fish should be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator, usually the bottom shelf.

To avoid contamination and spillage, it’s a good idea to store them in a container.

The middle of the refrigerator, usually at 4-5°C, is suitable for leftovers, eggs, dairy products and desserts made with cream.

Refrigerator drawers, or crispers, are designed to maintain a higher humidity than the rest of the refrigerator, helping your fresh produce last longer.

The inside of the refrigerator door is the mildest area and is prone to temperature fluctuations.

It’s better to use it to store products that do not need to be too cold, such as soft drinks, jars of jam, and sauces that have already been opened.

Good organization of food in the refrigerator is very important. If it is overfilled, the temperature can rise and the fans can also be blocked, preventing air from circulating freely.

Can cause ice to form, which can spoil the most delicate foods, like salad
The best way to store food in the refrigerator is by following simple, straightforward precautions.

Always store raw foods such as meat and fish in clean containers or, even better, in their original packaging, which includes the expiration date and other useful information for storage.

To keep fish fresh, first gut it, then wash it under running water until the insides are clean.

Dry and wrap it in plastic wrap, then place it in a container to slow down spoilage and avoid unpleasant odors in the refrigerator.

Best consumed within 24 hours

To prevent vegetables such as salad and radicchio from wilting and retaining moisture, store them in a tea towel.

After that, place them in the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator, in a container or bag.

If salad is soggy, remove the rotten parts and place the wilted leaves in cold water or in the refrigerator in a sealed container to recover the lost moisture.

After a few hours, the salad should regain its consistency.

Also try this with other vegetables, such as celery and carrots

Fresh herbs can be stored in a vase with water, as if they were flowers.

The alternative is to wrap them in slightly damp kitchen paper and seal them in a container to go in the refrigerator.

Not all vegetables should be stored in the refrigerator: find out which ones it’s best not to.

Store bananas at room temperature and away from direct sunlight: they do not ripen properly in the refrigerator and could blacken in a short time.

This does not apply if the banana is overripe; in that case, the cold can help extend its life for a few more days.

Tomatoes are best stored at room temperature because the cold makes them ripen more slowly and reduces perception of their flavor.

Only put them in the refrigerator when they are ready to eat, to prevent them from rotting, or if the temperature in the home is too high.

Onions are not all the same, but it is a good rule to store them in a dark, cool and dry place, away from potatoes.

Once sliced, you can store them in the refrigerator for several days, tightly sealed in airtight containers.

It’s best to store garlic in a cool, dark, dry and ventilated place.

Actually, the cold in the refrigerator favors the growth of shoots and tends to turn the cloves green.

Tropical or subtropical fruit is damaged when exposed to the cold for too long.

For watermelon and pineapple, if whole, store them at room temperature. Only put them in the refrigerator once cut, covered with plastic wrap.

The same goes for bananas, mangoes, papaya
Store food that needs to be kept at room temperature in the best possible way. with a few hints and tips, you can make it last longer.

Bread can typically be kept for two to four days at room temperature; to extend its shelf life, it is important to preserve its moisture as much as possible.

A good method is to seal it in a paper bag, and place it inside a breadbox or similar. Alternatively, it can be frozen.

Whole pumpkin can be stored out of the refrigerator. Once opened, cut what remains into cubes, to be cooked and then frozen.

Some fruits, such as apples, pears and bananas, tend to oxidize and darken quickly once sliced.

The color change does not affect their edibility, but to slow down this process and make sure they look good, you can sprinkle the surface with lemon or pineapple juice.

Carefully reading food expiration dates is essential to prevent food waste.

The “use by” date means that foods can only be considered safe until the date indicated and no later, even if they still smell and look good.

The “best before” date, or DMD, refers to the quality of the product, the characteristics of which are guaranteed until the date marked on the label.

After this date, depending on the type of product, the food can still be safe to consume, although its flavor and texture might change.

Date of Minimum Durability
The Savings Book

Zero-waste cooking

Chapter 02
Zero-waste cooking
Discover the potential of peels, zest, stems and much more, for creative cuisine with zero waste.
Stems, pods, skins and rinds of fruits and vegetables are almost all edible and can be used in tasty, waste-reducing dishes.

Do not throw away fruit and vegetables with minor imperfections or if very ripe.

Overripe fruit can be used to make smoothies, desserts and jams, while wilted vegetables are perfect for soups, thin or thick.

If a fruit has a blackened or bruised part, it can still be consumed after removing it.

To use artichoke stalks, remove the outermost fibrous part with a potato peeler and cut them into small pieces. Try them raw in a salad or steamed.

Good to eat both raw and cooked!

After removing the outermost part with a potato peeler, broccoli stalks are ready to be cooked and blended with sun-dried tomatoes and a drizzle of oil.

You can make a sauce for pasta, rice, barley or spelt, to which you can add the blanched florets.

Use broccoli and cauliflower leaves to make a minestrone or sauté them in a pan with garlic, oil, and spices to taste.

Some vegetable leaves are versatile and can be used in many dishes. The small ones can be added to raw salads, while the more mature ones can be eaten after cooking.

You can add them to risottos or boil and sauté them in a pan as a side dish.

Like radish or daikon leaves

Not only the white part, but also the light green part of leeks is useful in the kitchen.

  • (1)Wash the leeks thoroughly and cut them into slices, removing only the dark green end, which is more fibrous.
  • (2)Sauté the slices in a pan with a drizzle of oil and a little water, then add them in a baking tray to a farinata or cecina pancake mixture, made of chickpea flour, water, salt, and pepper.
  • (3)Finally, put it all in a preheated oven to bake.
  • (4)The dark green end of leeks can be combined with other vegetables to make a broth.

You can make a hot herbal tea in winter by boiling the well-washed peels of apples and edible (1) lemon and orange peels.

Add spices to the cooking water, such as a cinnamon stick, cloves or cardamom.

(1) Check on the packaging

If you’re making a vegetable smoothie, use the pulp that remains inside the blender to prepare vegetable burgers, with eggs and breadcrumbs, or mix them with beaten eggs for an omelet rich in fiber.

Leftover carrot peels can be used to make a pesto.

Wash carrots well before peeling them and blend the peels with oil, salt and a few almonds, adding garlic and chili pepper to taste.

Great to spread on toast or crackers

If they are still fresh and of a good green color, chop the tufts of carrots, celery or fennel to prepare an alternative pesto for meats, bruschettas, vegetables, and sandwiches.

Pumpkin and squash rind is edible and, in some varieties, very tender.

Both can therefore be eaten whole or sliced, with no need for peeling.

Kabocha, Red Kuri, Butternut

To eat pea and broad bean pods, clean them by removing the central string and the harder ends, then blanch them in water.

Cut and sauté them in a pan with garlic, oil, and spices to taste. For an extra kick of flavor, try adding sun-dried or cherry tomatoes cut in half.

Watermelon rind is perfect for making a jam with a delicate taste. Start by removing the green part of the skin and cut into chunks.

Put it all in a pot with an apple peeled and cut into cubes, sugar, water, grated zest, lemon juice, and spices to taste.

Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, then the jam is ready.

Onion and garlic skins are also edible. Wash them thoroughly, dry, and put in the oven to dry them out, avoiding any burns.

Once cooled, crumble and use the powder as a seasoning.

Wash peels

For a zero-waste version of risi e bisi (Italian thick soup of rice and peas), you can also use pea pods. Boil them together with the peas and blend until smooth.

Filter through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the most fibrous parts and add to the rice during cooking.

(Almost) nothing needs to be thrown away when it comes to pumpkin or squash. Wash and dry the rind and seeds well, cut the rind into thin strips, then bake with oil, salt, and spices to taste.

The rind will look like crisps, while the roasted seeds are good both with their shell and without, as a snack or ingredient for salads or soups.

Parsley stalks are often overlooked, but they can be used in many ways in the kitchen.

They can be added whole to cooking juices, broths and soups to enrich their flavor, or finely chopped to flavor sauces or marinades for meat and fish. If tender, they can also be used for salads.

If you have mealy apples or pears at home and you don’t like their texture, you can cook them in a pan or in the oven, or use them for sauces and juices.

Even cooking water can become a useful ingredient for your recipes.

Cooking water (1) or the viscous water in which chickpeas are cooked, known as aquafaba, can be stored for up to four or five days in a sealed container in the refrigerator, then used in many recipes.

For example, when whipped with an electric whisk, it turns into a frothy mixture to replace eggs in preparations such as mayonnaise, meringues, cocoa mousse or pancakes.

(1) Best unsalted

If the cooking water used for vegetables is not too bitter, don’t throw it away. Instead, use it as a base for preparing soups, risottos, and minestrone.

Fish scraps, such as skin, bones, heads, and shells, can be used as ingredients for your dishes.

Crustacean shells, heads, and bones are perfect to make traditional fish stock to flavor risottos or make a pasta sauce.

Fish skin can also be a cooking ingredient.

After cleaning and scaling, remove it from the flesh and place it on parchment paper, then brush with a drizzle of oil.

In just a few minutes in the oven, you’ll have tasty crisps as a snack or to add to your fish dishes.

For more of a crunch!
The Savings Book

Leftovers

Chapter 03
Leftovers
Save time and money by getting creative in the kitchen and making use of your leftovers.
Reuse leftover food, and remember that you can freeze anything that’s left.

Storing home-cooked food requires special attention.

To keep the temperature inside the refrigerator constant and avoid condensation, allow the food to cool to room temperature before placing it in a lidded container.

Don’t leave food on an uncovered plate

Leftover risotto is a great basis for making a quick baked dish, in which you can also use the vegetables in your refrigerator.

  • (1)Combine the rice with eggs and grated cheese in a bowl, add some vegetables that are already cooked or sautéed in a pan to taste, mix everything well and pour into a baking dish.
  • (2)To make it crunchy, sprinkle the surface with breadcrumbs, grated cheese and oil.
  • (3)Put it all in a preheated oven until the surface turns golden brown.

If you have leftover cooked pulses, make a sauce to add to pasta, by heating and blending some of them with a little pasta cooking water.

Alternatively, blend them with a tablespoon of tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, and a pinch of salt to create a quick hummus.

Lightning-fast hummus: pulses, tahini, salt to taste, lemon juice

If you have a lot of onions that need to be used quickly, cook them with sugar and vinegar to make a sweet and sour jam that pairs well with meat and cheese.

Overripe but mold-free bananas can be used to make a smoothie, banana bread, or pancakes.

Or blend them while still frozen to make ice cream.

Even a single leftover ingredient can serve as the basis for new dishes.

Try using broken biscuits and crumbs left in the bottom of packaging in creative ways, such as adding them to smoothies, yogurt, or ice cream.

Stale bread is the basis for many traditional Italian recipes such as panzanella, a Tuscan tomato and bread salad.

To make it, soak the bread in water and vinegar, then add it to thinly sliced onions, tomatoes, and olives. Season with oil, salt and spices and let it stand for a few hours.

If you have dry bread and don’t know what to do with it, try making a refreshing gazpacho by soaking the bread, then blending it with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and a pinch of salt. Add a drizzle of oil to serve.

Don’t know what to do with leftover Parmesan rinds?

After cleaning and dicing them, put them in the microwave for a few minutes to turn them into chips.

Check the label for “Edible Rind”

Store chocolate in a cool, dry place. If put in the refrigerator or stored for a long time at above 20°C, a white film can form due to fats or sugars moving to the surface.

Don’t worry, it’s still good to eat. If you have lots to get rid of, make a cake, mousse, or chocolate salami.

Don’t throw away leftover wine; reuse it instead.

Leftover red wine can be turned into a great mulled wine.

  • (1)To begin with, wash an orange and a lemon, remove the zest and set aside, after checking it is edible.
  • (3)Then wash an apple and cut into thin slices. Pour sugar into a saucepan and add cinnamon sticks, cloves, apple, citrus peel and other spices to taste.
  • (3)Pour the wine into the pan, cover with a lid and cook without bringing it to the boil to mix all the aromas.
Let it stand for a while before drinking!

Leftover wine can be frozen in ice molds and the cubes used for cooking at a later date. They can be added to sauces, soups, and risottos without having to open a new bottle.

The Savings Book

Shopping

Chapter 04
Shopping
Learn how to efficiently manage what you already have at home by organizing meals, groceries, and the pantry.
Planning meals and shopping consciously helps reduce waste.

Before you go grocery shopping, it’s always useful to carefully check what food you have at home, to know what you need to pick up and what you already have, maybe hidden at the back of the shelves in the pantry or refrigerator.

Planning helps avoid waste!

Drawing up a meal plan, including those eaten outside the home and considering the preferences of all family members, can help you determine which foods to buy to vary your diet a little.

Choose recipes that include similar ingredients to optimize food consumption and reduce waste.

For example, if you buy artichokes, use them one day for a risotto and the next for a sautéed side dish.

A little waste-preventing tip: Cook once, eat twice

Regularly doing the grocery shopping helps you buy what you need more precisely, avoiding waste.

Some fruit, such as banana, persimmon, apple, peach, kiwi, mango and avocado, continue to ripen even after they are picked.

Try to choose ones that are already ripe if you plan to eat them within a few days. If not, buy them less ripe and let them ripen out of the refrigerator.

Make sure that aesthetics isn’t the only thing that guides your choices: minor imperfections do not necessarily affect the quality of the food.

A shopping list is a valuable ally against food waste.

If you don’t have this habit, try to include it in your routine.

When grocery shopping, check the expiration date on the packaging to make sure you’re buying foods that you’ll be able to eat in time.

The packaging must also be intact for the shelf life to be right.

Packaged products with slightly dented but intact packaging can still be consumed by the expiration date.

Sometimes they even come at discounted prices!

Oxygen causes food quality to deteriorate. The vacuum technique makes it possible to store food longer and maintain the flavor and taste.

If you buy cold cuts or cheeses that you don’t want to eat right away, ask for them to be vacuum-packed.

Include frozen foods in your shopping or freeze fresh produce shortly after purchase, to preserve nutritional qualities and prevent them from spoiling before consumption.

If you have purchased large quantities of fresh food, freeze the amount you do not need immediately after purchase, to extend its shelf life and minimize food waste.

Packaged fresh or stuffed pasta, meat or fish from the refrigerated counter, delicatessen products

If you buy vegetables that you aren’t planning to eat within a few days, freeze them immediately.

Cut them into small pieces, wash thoroughly, blanch quickly if necessary, and put them in special containers or freezer bags, marking the bag with the date you froze them.

That way, they can last for up to a year!

See “blanching” in storage chapter

When you have large quantities of citrus fruits, such as oranges or lemons, and you’re concerned about not being able to eat them all while still fresh, squeeze them and freeze the juice in special bags or in the ice mold, so they are always there to flavor your sweet or savory recipes or to add to juices and smoothies.

Squeeze excess citrus fruits

Fruits suitable for freezing include apples, pears, grapes, figs, bananas, and mangoes.

It’s better to keep watermelon, pineapple, and kiwi out of the freezer, because their high water content leads to the formation of crystals that damage their structure.

However, they can be frozen to prevent waste, although it’s best to use them only for smoothies or purees.

After purchase, put away your shopping in the best possible way and plan when you intend to consume it.

When you bring home fresh produce, first eat the items that can only be stored for a shorter time, such as milk and soft cheeses, more perishable vegetables such as broccoli, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, spinach, berries, and ripe fruit.

Eat longer-lasting foods instead, such as hard cheeses, carrots, peppers, beets, radicchio and fruits such as apples, pears or oranges.

Store the products you have recently bought carefully and keep them in plain sight, ensuring they are not hidden away from view.

Try to place foods that are due to expire sooner in front, both in the refrigerator and in the pantry, according to the FIFO
(first in, first out) method.

That way, even if you pick them up while doing something else, you’ll be using the ones with a shorter shelf life first.

Once in the freezer, fish, and ground beef can last up to three or four months, while cuts of meat such as roasts, steaks and ribs can last up to four months to a year.

Always remember to mark the date you froze it on the packaging, then when defrosting, check for any unpleasant odors or alterations in the color.

When bringing frozen food home from the supermarket, especially on very hot days, put it in refrigerated cooler bags and keep everything together in the same place.

Once at home, put it in the refrigerator or freezer immediately.

Extra virgin olive oil should be stored in a cool, dry place away from heat sources, to prevent it from oxidizing and going rancid.

Place it in dark glass containers to protect it from light.

When shopping for fresh produce and it’s very hot outside, make sure it’s the last errand of your day. When you get home, put it in the refrigerator as soon as possible.

The Savings Book

Eating out

Chapter 05
Eating out
Find out more about various strategies to avoid waste when eating out.
With a few simple steps, you can also reduce food waste in a restaurant, canteen or office.

If you can’t finish your order at a restaurant, ask for a doggy bag to take home the leftovers and eat them another time.

Ask about the dish of the day: they are sometimes special recipes with fresh ingredients that need to be eaten quickly. That way, you could try something new and help the restaurant fight waste.

When at a buffet, use small side dishes or dessert plates – you’ll avoid taking too much.

If you find you’re still hungry, you can always go on another round!

If you have leftovers after dinner, take them to work the next day as lunch, or cook an extra portion to save time.

For lunch at work, try using a divided container to portion your food as you like and avoid waste.

If there is too much food, you might end up having to throw away the leftovers.

If you have a refrigerator at work, check it from time to time to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything and use it before it goes bad.

When with friends and family, share the food that’s on the table, this way you’ll have the chance to taste more dishes and reduce waste.

Reducing children’s food waste can contribute to a more balanced and environmentally friendly diet and teach the younger generations the value of food.

Involving children in meal preparation teaches them the importance of food, how it is produced, and how to reduce waste.

It will also help them discover more easily which ingredients they like least, reducing the amount of food left over on their plates over time.

Involving children in meal planning and shopping not only helps fight food waste, but also educates them about the characteristics of food and the importance of a balanced diet.

Through active participation in these activities, children also become more responsible and respectful of food, making them more likely to prefer eating something they have chosen and reducing leftovers.

For your children’s snack at school, give them portions suitable for their needs, to keep their “hunger clock” in balance and prevent them from losing their appetite at mealtimes.

Eating in company is of great educational value for children: by observing the behavior of others, especially if the same age, they will be more inclined to taste new foods, broadening their culinary horizons over time and reducing waste.

Buffets and large catered events such as birthdays, weddings or other celebrations often leave behind food that is still fresh: find out how not to throw it away!

When hosting a party or buffet reception, think about giving guests leftover food to take home.

Idea: Put it already packaged on a table near the exit
Barilla Foundation

Some non-profit organizations recover surplus food from events, meetings, and catering, to donate it to charity.

If you’re planning a large event, find out if there are any in your area.

Barilla Foundation

This work is the result of a thorough analysis of the scientific literature. We have transformed the data and technical language into easy-to-follow tips, to make complex concepts more understandable and raise awareness.

Barilla Foundation

This book is printed on certified paper obtained from the processing of agro-industrial by-products, using an environmentally friendly process.

* The agro-industrial by-products used are GMO-free, being of Ital- ian origin from controlled supply chains.

Summary
Introduction
Storage
Zero-waste cooking
Leftovers
Shopping
Eating out
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The scientific background

Every year, around a third of the food produced globally is wasted, from farm to fork1. This corresponds to over a billion tons of food, representing a considerable loss from an economic and environmental point of view. In fact, when food is wasted, the resources used for its production, such as water, land and energy, are also wasted. It has been estimated that supply chain losses and food waste contribute to up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions2.

Food waste refers to the amount of food that is not consumed at the home, restaurant and retail levels. Domestic waste, at a global level, represents the most significant part of total waste (60%), followed by the catering sector (28%) and retail sales (12%)3. These data are also found at a European level, where 54% of food waste occurs at a domestic level 4. In the European Union, over 59 million tonnes of food waste are generated every year, equal to 132 kg for each inhabitant5, with an associated market value estimated at 132 billion euros6. At the same time, over 42 million people cannot afford a quality meal every two days (Eurostat, 2023).

A study coordinated by the University of Bologna and currently under scientific review, in which the Barilla Foundation collaborated, has estimated that the value of waste exceeds 500 euros per year per family. This means that if a family reduces waste, they can save up to 500 euros a year. This study uses the same methodology as Giordano et al. (2019) to estimate the burden of waste of the Italian population through diaries and was used as the basis for the "Who doesn't waste, we gain" campaign.

Preventing and reducing food waste is within everyone's reach: this is why we have collected 120 anti-waste actions with which to enrich our daily lives in an easy-to-consult book.

In preparing the book, we started from an in-depth and accurate analysis of national and international scientific literature to identify which foods were most wasted (such as fruit, vegetables, bread, fresh dairy products) and what were the main reasons for this waste (incorrect storage, incorrect reading of expiry dates, etc). Once the literature review was completed, we identified and divided the possible anti-waste actions into 5 main categories: how to best preserve the various types of food, including a part on the correct reading of expiry dates, how to cook also using parts of the food that we usually discard and how to reuse the leftovers. The last two sections instead focus on meal planning and out-of-home, in particular when shopping and the meals we have for example in the office or at a restaurant. All the actions and advice in the book are based on solid scientific evidence, to translate attention to saving and waste into everyday life.

Reducing food waste is a great opportunity to improve the quality of our life: it allows us not only to enhance food and protect our planet but also to promote a real culture of saving.

1 FAO, 2011.

2 Mbow, C.; et al. Chapter 5. Food security. In Climate Change and Land: An IPCC Special Report on Climate Change, Desertification, Land Degradation, Sustainable Land Management, Food Security, and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Terrestrial Ecosystems; IPCC: Geneva, Switzerland, 2019. - United Nations Environment Programme. Food Waste Index Report 2021; UNEP: Nairobi, Kenya, 2021.

3 United Nations Environment Programme. Food Waste Index Report 2024; UNEP: Nairobi, Kenya, 2024

4 Eurostat, 2024. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Food_waste_and_food_waste_prevention_-_estimates

5 Eurostat, 2024.

6 SWD (2023)421, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:1fefebb0-1b4e-11ee-806b-01aa75ed71a1.0001.02/DOC_5&format=PDF

Those who don't waste gain

“Those who don't waste gain” are clips from the Barilla Foundation based on the contents of “The Savings Book: 120 actions against food waste”. The videos see the professor and Nobel Peace Prize winner with IPCC Riccardo Valentini, meeting with Mara Maionchi, to spread a real culture of saving and discover many anti-waste tips.

Those who don't waste gain

Carrots, Celery, Fennel: Use the leaves too!

Those who don't waste gain

Too many Oranges? Freeze the juice

Those who don't waste gain

Use foods that expire first first

Those who don't waste gain

More life for aromatic herbs