For many, when it comes to fashion, says homegrown designer Claudia Poh, “you change your body to fit the clothes, not the other way around”.

That relationship gets infinitely more complex for people with disabilities, with details we might not always notice — such as straps and buttons — posing challenges with the seemingly simple task of getting dressed.

Poh is hoping to change the way we see and approach fashion with her label, Werable.

Founded in 2019, Werable specialises in adaptive clothing, designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities. The idea, Poh tells Options, is to forge a more inclusive fashion environment. Rather than being something specially for people with disabilities, she is on a mission to make adaptivity second nature in the clothes we wear.

Among the creations Werable has put out are dresses that require just one arm to put on, wrap shirts with magnets instead of buttons, and a bolero that turns into an arm sling. The brand also offers alteration services, so clients can make their favourite garments work better for them, as well as a bespoke tailoring service.

Poh points out that the individual features she has incorporated into her designs — D-rings and magnetic closures, for instance — have actually been on the market for some time. “I’m trying to apply them to as many of our products as possible,” she says. Rather than coming up with entirely new features with customised specifications, it’s faster and more effective for Werable, as a young business, to use these existing solutions.

A pioneer of adaptive clothing in Singapore, Claudia Poh’s fashion brand Werable allows people with mobility challenges to get dressed easily. As part of her studies at Parsons School of Design in Paris and New York, she and her classmate Amy Yu Chen had the opportunity to work with a woman living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

With the help of Open Style Lab, a New York-based non-profit that makes style accessible to all disabilities, they developed Cair Collective in 2018 through a thesis project. With this technology-assisted dressing system, inflatable components hidden in a garment make it rise on the body, so you can wear it without needing to use your hands.

Poh’s journey to success, however, has not been without challenges. In certain instances, the designer experienced internal conflict regarding her thought process and drive. Fortunately, she had teachers who were supportive and persistent in encouraging her. “I’ve never been the kid who understood things quickly in class. I lacked clarity. I’d be excited to pursue multiple ideas at once. They challenged my logic, helped shape the way I think, and constantly reminded me to take responsibility for my work.”

When she returned to Singapore in 2020, Poh established Werable, named after the empowering phrase, “We Are Able”.

In pursuit of her brand’s vision of “accessible fashion that transcends boundaries”, she has created opportunities for social engagement and enriching human experiences through her brand. Currently, it belongs to Potato Productions, a group of social enterprises dedicated to healthcare, transforming lives, and improving communities.

Werable’s business model differs from the industry practice of releasing two collections a year. Instead, Poh and her team develop products based on their functions. Their work with rehabilitation centres and hospitals, for example, has helped them solve the dressing challenges faced by their clients.

“We’ve been working with Stroke Support Station for two years to design clothes you can fasten with one hand.”Claudia Poh on her adaptive fashion line

As part of DesignSingapore Council’s Good Design Research Initiative, the brand received support for this project. In addition, Poh was a speaker at this year’s Design Futures Forum, where she discussed the future of care through design.

She returned to Parsons Paris recently for the first time in a decade since graduating in 2016, and received a warm welcome from the dean and several professors who fondly recalled her previous work. As a matter of fact, a design she created and sold in Paris was one of her earliest.

“My teachers brought us to the Musée Carnavalet and asked us to select a work to study. I noticed a chair with a jacket slung on the back. As I went about my day, I began to pay attention to how we keep our clothes when we don’t wear them, especially when they remain in the public realm,” she says.

“We no longer have the comforts of a wardrobe or drawers for them to return to, so I wanted to design a new home for them. I thought it was funny that we were brought to a historical museum, but I ended up being inspired by a humble chair used by the museum attendant.”

As a tool for connection, fashion can help shape a future that values belonging. In Poh’s opinion, it requires mindset shifts that are possible. “I dream of a future where fashion is kinder and more inclusive, where it allows everyone to fully partake of experiences they value the most— holistically and authentically.”

A genre-blending graphic novel about a multinational company run by Asian demons and an introductory volume on comfort women in Singapore were among the winners at the 2023 Singapore Book Awards, which celebrates the achievements of the home-grown publishing industry.

Work-Life Balance: Malevolent Managers And Folkloric Freelancers by Benjamin Chee and Wayne Ree, published by Difference Engine, on Wednesday won the Best Literary Work category and the coveted Book of the Year.

The breezy mash-up of prose and comics draws on Asian mythology while taking a wry look at corporate life, starring pontianak, manananggal, ba jiao gui and other supernatural beings who are at risk of being displaced from their jobs by foreign competition.

The multinational company’s goal? “To acquire the power to destroy civilisation and bring the world to an end”, presenting a quandary to those tempted to join its mission.

The judging panel said of the book: “Work-Life Balance is both weird and wonderful, a miracle of a book that crosses several media. (It is) truly a stimulating experience for the reader: a unique amalgam of a business book on office relationships, a post-colonial treatise in a form of a mythological clash of cultures, a graphic novel, a feminist diatribe, a wuxia homage, and much more.”

The panel also called it a cultural statement, and a tome that anyone who wishes to understand the psycho-social aspects of 21st-century life in South-east Asia must read.

Best Non-Fiction Title went to The Comfort Women Of Singapore In History And Memory by National Institute of Education associate professor of history Kevin Blackburn, published by the National University of Singapore Press.

In just 200 pages, it answers a long unanswered question: that there were comfort women in Singapore during World War II, including local women – making the case that though no Singaporean women have come forward, people should not think they were exempt.

By sieving through oral interviews and archival materials, Blackburn names Cairnhill, Bukit Pasoh, Seletar and Kallang as places where comfort houses were set up by the Japanese.

In these, although Korean and Japanese women predominated, there were also Javanese, Chinese, Caucasian and Singaporean women – many of whom were abducted, or were pre-war prostitutes recruited into continuing their trade under the Japanese Occupation.

The annual Singapore Book Awards is presented by the Singapore Book Publishers Association (SBPA), which represents publishers based in Singapore.

A total of 139 books were submitted by 27 publishers across nine categories, after which the Book of the Year is picked from the nine winning books.

Seven judges from various sectors of the industry were involved in the decision-making – National Library Board chief librarian Gene Tan; book editor and former SBPA president Triena Noeline Ong; former Books Kinokuniya Asia-Pacific senior store and merchandising director Kenny Chan; Pustaka Nasional publisher Syed Ali Ahmad Semait; Casco Publications business director Kathy Low; senior publisher at Taylor & Francis Katie Peace; and Dr Jo-Ann Netto-Shek, lecturer of English language and literature at the National Institute of Education.

Mr Chan, who presented the award for Best Literary Work, noted that all four finalists featured a female protagonist. “I’m not trying to be woke or politically correct. These books stand out for their quality alone.”

The other finalists for Best Literary Work are The Accidental Malay by Karina Bahrin, published by Epigram Books, with global publishing rights later sold to British publisher Picador; Marshall Cavendish International Asia’s Dearest Intimate by literary stalwart Suchen Christine Lim; and The House Of Little Sisters by Eva Wong Nava, published by Penguin Random House SEA.

Straits Times Press won in the Best Cover Design category for M/other: 20 Powerful Stories Of Parental Love Against All Odds by Loretta Chen, and Best Picture Book for Grandma’s Tiger by Alan John and Quek Hong Shin.

Last year’s winner for Book of the Year was The Food Of Singapore Malays, a monumental tome on the history of Malay cuisine by Khir Johari. It went on to win the top prize at the 28th Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, also known as the Oscars of the cookbook world.

It all started with a simple conversation at a Potato Connect networking session two years ago. We were chatting about everyday kitchen challenges when someone brought up the amount of food that ends up in the bin.

"What if we could create a recipe book for all those spare ingredients?" someone suggested. It was one of those lightbulb moments.

That's how the idea for Sustainable Bao was born. We realised that many people struggle with using up all their groceries before they go bad. Maybe it's the odd carrot, the wilting herbs, or the bread that's just a bit too stale for sandwiches.

Whatever the cause, we saw an opportunity to make a difference.

Sustainable Bao takes root

With our idea in hand, we set out to make Sustainable Bao a reality.

Our goal was simple but ambitious: help Singapore households reduce food waste and save money in the process. We started by sharing recipes and tips online, showing people how to transform those "about to go bad" ingredients into delicious meals.

But as we dug deeper into the issue of food waste, we realized there was so much more to explore.

• How much food was really being wasted in Singapore homes?
• What were the main culprits?
• And most importantly, what practical solutions could we offer?

That's when we had another thought: why not team up with the experts?

We reached out to Republic Polytechnic, known for its culinary program. We wondered if there might be a way to work together on this issue, combining our community reach with their culinary expertise.

Students take on the food waste challenge

Fast forward to today, and our collaboration with Republic Polytechnic is in full swing. We've teamed up with final year students from the Diploma of Restaurant and Culinary Operations (DRCO). These budding chefs and restaurant managers decided to tackle food waste for their Final Year Project.

It's been fascinating to watch these students apply their culinary knowledge to a real-world problem. They're not just learning how to cook; they're learning how to cook sustainably. And in the process, they're coming up with creative solutions that could help households across Singapore.

What's really going to waste in our kitchens?

The students kicked off their project with some serious research.

They surveyed Singapore households to find out what food items most often end up in the bin. After crunching the numbers, they identified three main culprits:

1. Vegetable scraps: Think carrot peels, broccoli stems, and those outer leaves of lettuce we often discard.
2. Unwanted parts of meat: Like chicken skin, fat trimmings, or bones that could be used for stock.
3. Rice: It's a staple in many Singapore homes, but it's also frequently overcooked or left uneaten.

But here's where it gets interesting. The students discovered that most people are actually aware they're wasting food. It's not a lack of knowledge that's the problem. So what is?

Turns out, it's a lack of ideas and time. Many people simply don't know what to do with these leftover bits, or they feel they're too busy to bother.

This got us thinking: what if we could provide quick, easy solutions for these common kitchen scraps? Could we change how people view these "waste" ingredients?

Turning waste into meals

Armed with their research findings, the students rolled up their sleeves and got creative in the kitchen. Their challenge: come up with recipes that use these commonly wasted ingredients in delicious, easy-to-prepare ways.

After much experimentation (and probably a few culinary disasters!), they developed four innovative recipes. One standout was a flavorful soup base made from vegetable scraps like carrot peels and cabbage cores. Another clever idea was a dish that utilized every part of a chicken, from the meat to the bones.

These recipes weren't just about using up leftovers. They were about changing perspectives. That broccoli stem you usually toss? Turns out it can be the star of a stir-fry. Those chicken bones? They're liquid gold for a rich, homemade stock.

Bringing ideas to life

Of course, recipes on paper are one thing. But would they work in real life? To find out, the students organized a live cooking demonstration. They prepared all four of their waste-reducing recipes in front of an audience of 45 students and staff from Republic Polytechnic.

The demo was a hit. Audience members watched as "waste" ingredients were transformed into appetizing dishes right before their eyes. And the best part? Everyone got to taste the results. It was a powerful way to show that reducing food waste doesn't mean eating bland or unappealing meals.

This event did more than just showcase recipes. It sparked conversations. People started sharing their own tips for reducing waste. Some talked about composting. Others discussed meal planning strategies. It was clear that this issue resonated with many people.

What's next for Sustainable Bao?

This project has been an eye-opener for all of us at Potato Connect. It's shown us the power of collaboration, the creativity of young chefs, and the willingness of people to change their habits when given practical solutions.

We're continuing to share recipes and tips online, but we're also thinking bigger. Could we partner with more educational institutions? Maybe create workshops for the community? Or develop an app that helps people plan meals to reduce waste?

What do you think? Have you ever tried making a meal from ingredients you'd normally throw away? Do you have any clever tricks for using up leftovers? Or maybe you have ideas on how we could tackle food waste on a larger scale in your community?

We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. After all, reducing food waste is a challenge that affects all of us, and it'll take all of us to solve it.

To find out more about Sustainable Bao, do follow us on our social media platforms (Instagram and Tiktok) and also check out our website where we share all our created recipes, including those presented during the cooking demo session.

If you're interested in learning more, sharing your ideas, or perhaps working together on future projects, feel free to check out our social media (Instagram and Tiktok) or drop us an email at connect@potatoproductions.com. Who knows? Your idea could be the next big step in Singapore's journey towards less food waste.

Remember, every small action counts. So next time you're about to toss that bruised apple or those leftover veggies, pause for a moment. Could they become your next culinary masterpiece instead?

We’re all probably guilty of forgetting what we have in our refrigerators at some point. Whether a result of over buying or refrigerating leftovers from our meals, they contribute to the whopping average SGD 258 worth of food disposed by households yearly.

Maybe there’s something comforting about having more than less. Or something therapeutic about filling up your basket during grocery runs. Either way, discarding unconsumed food is not only wasteful but takes extra effort to clear out weekly. Or whenever it is you discover the forgotten broccoli bunch at the back of the fridge.

As compared to food waste reduction methods like composting and meal prepping, binning excess definitely seems like the easiest way around the wicked problem. However, food waste reduction doesn’t have to be difficult as long as we use methods that work for us. Out of all the methods, there’s bound to be one that matches you and your lifestyle(s).

In this article, we gain some insight from Republic Polytechnic’s Chef Aaron Chua on best practices when it comes to food handling and storage. Did you know? Proper storage and handling of food can prolong its life for months up to a year!

How we contribute to household food waste?

In reality, food waste reduction begins even before you go grocery shopping. From creating a shopping list to understanding portions, these are the first line of defense between you and household food waste. When we don’t make conscious efforts to be mindful about our purchase and consumption habits, we inevitably leave the bins and landfills with actually- avoidable food waste.

#1 Overbuying
More does not always mean better. When you purchase more of something for a discount but end up discarding the excess, did you actually save money? Or were you just giving in to your impulsive desires?

That being said, we don’t and can’t blame you. With an abundance of options both online and in-store, it can be difficult to buy just enough. Even more so when presented with tantalising bundle and bulk deals that promise more for less. How can we say no?

According to Chef Aaron, this is attributed to Singapore’s ‘kiasu’ mentality where “It was on offer, I get it and keep it in the refrigerator.” Without thinking further about its actual purpose.

This may seem like a relatively normal practice during the pandemic where restrictions led to panic-buying and stockpiling. However, old habits tend to die hard and we’re likely going to keep up our purchasing habits.

#2 Overlooking
A result of overbuying and chucking into the refrigerator for later, we literally lose sight of what we have. And when we can’t see what we have, we’re likely to forget about it.

A vicious cycle
Acknowledging that the way we plan, purchase and cook food play a part in waste generation is a step towards better food waste management practices.

Why are we unsuccessful in reducing food waste?
In just 10 years, Singapore recorded a 20% increase in food waste. It’s obvious we have not been successful in making an impact on food wastage. It does look like we’re just unaware of what needs to be done.

#1 Misunderstanding date labels on food
Date labels indicate different information about food quality, safety and packaged date for both retailers and consumers. Even with simplified labels like “Use By”, “Best Before” and “Sell By”, commoners like us are still confused by their true meanings.

A 2019 survey indicates poor understanding of date labels which lead to the unnecessary disposal of food that is still safe for consumption.

#2 Stigmatising “Ugly” food
The saying “beauty is only skin-deep” applies to food too. It is a common misconception that bruised, discoloured, or misshapened food are less nutritious than “regular” looking ones.

We may be quick to label food as “ugly” and “unattractive” due to our pre-conceived idea of prettier being better. However, much like humans, food are highly varied and complex items. In some cases, so-called flaws and blemishes may actually be more nutritious for you!

For example, a study comparing scabbed and unscathed apples concluded that scabs, while a sign of a past fungal infection during its growth, contain 40% more antioxidants and vitamins.

Perhaps, the ‘blemishes’ we know of are merely battlescars that we shouldn’t be so quick to judge?

Apple: You know my name, not my story. 😤

#3 Improper food storage and handling methods
Our food storage methods(or lack thereof..) influence the shelf life of our food items. When stored optimally, food can last longer than their indicative expiry dates.

… But what causes food spoilage in the first place?

Environmental factors like humidity, light, heat and oxygen have a lot to do with food safety and quality. In both hot and humid countries like Singapore, food tends to go bad easily as the climate encourages bacterial growth.

It is commonly (mis)understood that bacteria dies in the refrigerator. We’re sorry to break it to you, but Chef Aaron cleared the air for us as well. “Bacteria actually just slows down in the cold. It doesn't exactly die off.”

Dairy and fresh meat are the most susceptible to spoilage, given the high amount of moisture present in them which bacteria thrive off. “It needs moisture to multiply” adds Chef Aaron. For other perishables like fruits and vegetables, where and how they are stored in the refrigerator also influences their shelf life.

Something to think about the next time you stock up: Do you even know why you’re placing something in a part of your refrigerator?

What we can do to reduce food waste
At this point, you may find yourself guilty of one or a few of the above actions. Honestly, so am I, with my lack of refrigerator organisation skills. The good news? We live to learn. It’s not too difficult or late to change our ways.

Well, we’re also glad to have Chef Aaron’s input on steps we can take to reduce our food waste. Thanks, Chef!

#1 Love our food
We mean, ALL of it. Including ‘imperfect’ food with blemishes like bruises and discolouration. Beyond their atypical appearance lies more, if not equally as nutritious and yummy food!

It’s absolutely shocking and unacceptable that approximately ⅓ of vegetables at wholesale markets get disposed of for not meeting beauty standards.

Think about this, does the appearance of your food really matter if you’re going home to chop them up and cook them? Or blend them for juice?

If this isn’t convincing enough for you, here are the cross sections of ‘ugly’ food vs regular-looking ones. Don’t let what’s on the surface fool you!

#2 Understand our food
When was the last time you really read your food labels before you threw them out? Even though all food will perish at some point, certain food can enjoy a longer shelf life than others. Between fresh meat and dry crackers, it’s pretty obvious which is still safe for consumption past its expiry date.

Hint: It’s the non-perishable one!

Just like Michelle Yeoh said at the recent Oscars award show, “Never let anyone tell you you are past your prime”

It is our duty as consumers to interpret and understand date labels before mindlessly throwing them out. Food does not go bad overnight and discretion can and should be exercised.

Chef Aaron echoes this sentiment, having noticed a gap in the comprehension of these labels among his students. “I do go through this with my students in school as well, to help them understand their meanings and I agree that many of them didn't even understand it before I went through them. So the need to understand, educate people on this, is something that's very important.”

Quick tip: The ‘Use By’ date on fresh milk is inapplicable once the carton is opened. It is best to consume it within 5 days!

When in doubt, sensory tests like the sniff and taste tests are trustworthy, effective ways to check for food spoilage. For example, using touch to check for slime on raw meat is an indication that it is indeed, past its prime.

#3 Understanding our lifestyles
When you have control over your lifestyle, you’re in a better position to plan the amount of food you need.

If you’re definitely going to have several late nights in the office this week, or if you’re certainly grabbing dinner with friends on Friday night, cooking at home may be less than ideal. Keeping that in mind, you probably shouldn’t purchase that whole chicken you’ve been thinking about.

Ultimately, having a plan can help cut unnecessary food waste from our homes. As Chef Aaron likes to put it, a plan provides a “horses with blinkers on” effect. Not only does it combat buying more than necessary at the supermarket, you don’t have to worry about possessing surplus food!

No one’s expecting you to micromanage and plan every meal for the week, just having an overview of it can help substantially in preventing accidental food waste.

“…But what if my week is hectic and largely unpredictable?”

Then you definitely shouldn’t purchase that whole chicken you’ve been thinking about. Instead, consider stocking up on food items with ‘best before’ date labels like frozen vegetables, eggs, and uncooked rice. Delicious enough to have on their own, but great when paired with your take out or delivered meals!

If you still prefer the option of fresh meals, versatile food that can be prepared and cooked a variety of ways are your next best bet. Just don’t forget to use them, please!

Salmon and potatoes are Chef Aaron’s personal favourites. Able to be cooked and utilised in various ways, they account for “rollover days” where cooking plans are foiled at the last minute.

#4 Care for our food
If you’ve made it up to this point, props to you! You’re on track to reducing food waste from your home.

Now that we’ve established the relationship between your lifestyle and food choices, storage of food is just as important in maintaining this relationship.

a. Maintaining freshness
It’s commonly assumed that every part of the refrigerator is the same. Since the refrigerator’s sole purpose is to chill its contents.

While that is somewhat true, it also couldn’t be further from the truth.

Due to air circulation within the fridge, some areas may be cooler than others. Which may be harmful for our food.

“In what way? Isn’t it the cooler the better?”

Not always! Food items that have been removed from its original packaging may be prone to drying out. Especially vegetables.

To combat this, Chef Aaron recommends slightly wetting your (clean) hands and sprinkling it over a paper towel. Ensure the vegetable is slightly moist before wrapping them in the towel and into the crisper section. It helps keep it fresh for the next 2-3 days.

Additionally, certain fruits and vegetables should not be stored together as they may accelerate each other’s ripening, possibly leading to untimely spoilage and/or ripening.

Don’t forget about cooked food such as leftovers and ready to eat meals! Even though they have been cooked, they are still equally prone to spoilage. In fact, Chef Aaron warns they may be even more prone to spoilage if placed in room temperature for a prolonged period of time.

The next time you have leftovers or shared food, try transferring it into a clean air-tight container before refrigerating. In this way, existing bacteria on the used plate would not be able to manifest while in the refrigerator.

b. Remembering dates
At the end of the day, even the most well-maintained food will perish. Hence, it is important to keep track of dates and apply a ‘First In, First Out (FIFO)’ mindset in the kitchen. This can be achieved by simply placing older food in front of the newer ones.

Taking steps to ensure food does not spoil prematurely is also crucial in combatting food waste.

#5 Protect our food
“Isn’t caring for our food the same as protecting them?” Not quite. It’s a matter of food safety vs food quality.

Caring for food is ensuring they’re stored in optimal conditions while protecting food refers to food handling and prevention of contamination or illness from unsafe food.

When it comes to food protection, minimal exposure to bacteria is what keeps our food safe to eat and fresh for longer.

a. Preventing contamination
Due to its high-moisture levels and sensitivity to changing temperatures, fresh meat and dairy can easily pick up bacteria when exposed to room temperature during preparation stages such as thawing or defrosting.

When bacteria is allowed to multiply for too long, food can get contaminated and cause illness upon consumption.

Instead, Chef Aaron suggests:

i. Avoiding refreezing
When perishables are exposed to temperatures outside of the recommended 1-4℃ (for chilling) and -12℃ and below (for freezing), bacteria multiplies.

Keeping that in mind, it is best not to thaw and refreeze food as it means continuous exposure to varying temperatures. Imagine the amount and type of bacteria it has been exposed to then?

Once you have brought perishables home, promptly refrigerate them to prevent further build up of bacteria. For whole meats, portion and cut them according to your uses before freezing or refrigerating. Through this, exposure to bacteria from unnecessary thawing or defrosting is limited.

ii. Knowing your temperatures
Just like how perishables are chilled and freezed in specific temperatures, they should be cooked at minimally 80℃ for approximately 2 minutes to kill bacteria.

iii. Share the love, not the germs
As much as mealtime is a social affair and an expression of love, we don’t have to share everything. Especially not germs. Where possible, serving spoons should be used to minimise the exchange of fluids and saliva.  

For the duration of mealtime, food is already exposed to bacteria and germs. Adding saliva to the mix will only encourage food to get contaminated and/or perish sooner.

b. Freezing what you don’t (currently!) need
If you know you’re unable to use what you bought within the stated use by date, freezing it can help save it for later! Of course, friendly advice from Chef Aaron, "Do not think that this is a miracle machine where it really just takes care of everything and makes everything so fantastic.

There is definitely going to be the chance of it still spoiling. Right? So don't drag it out for way too long.”

Generally, freezed food should not go beyond 3 to 6 months in the freezer as its texture and taste may change or be diminished after this time period.

Tip: Put food in freezer bags and air-tight containers to prevent freezer burn!

c. Being accountable
Food waste prevention begins the moment we think about purchasing food. Knowing what’s in your inventory is one way to avoid purchasing unnecessarily or more than you need. Not only will this reduce your food waste, the food can go to someone who needs it more.

Some ways to remain on top of what you have:

i. Keep a list
It’s a grocery list, just for your inventory. With this list, easily get an overview of your refrigerator’s content without lifting a finger. Sounds great! What’s more? You can bring it with you on your next grocery run.

Ii. Take a ‘shelfie’ of your inventory
You know what they say- a picture speaks a thousand words. A simple photo of your refrigerator will show you what’s left!

Aiming for food waste avoidance instead of reduction
Food waste reduction begins the moment we think about eating and/or purchasing food. From buying only what we need to proper food storage, food waste reduction doesn’t, and shouldn’t, have to always look like throwing out months-old food from our inventory.

Whether it’s optimising the shelf life of your food or being more mindful about the type of food we purchase, everyone has their own approach to reducing food waste. If we know and stick to what works for us, food waste could be avoided as a whole.

“In nature everything is connected, everything is interwoven, everything changes with everything, everything merges from one into another.” - Gotthold Lessing

Special thanks to Chef Aaron from Republic Polytechnic for providing his professional advice for this article. More about him below:

Chef Aaron holds work experience from restaurants locally and globally, including New York City’s ‘Restaurant Marc Forgione’.

Presently, Chef Aaron is both culinary practitioner and educator, with 6 years of teaching experience at Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (SHATEC) and Republic Polyechnic’s Diploma in Restaurant & Culinary Operations.

For more about Chef Aaron, click here.

You must be thinking: “Not another food waste reduction article…”. Truth is, the food waste conversation has just begun. So brace yourself for more articles just like this one!

The difference?
We’re no expert at tackling food waste and we’re not going to tell you what to do. We hope to share insights that will inspire your next course of action. Whatever they may be.

Honestly, even we don’t really know where/how to begin reducing our food waste. In our opinion, food waste reduction is one of those ‘easier said than done’ things. What with composting, upcycling and other reduction techniques, factoring in our other everyday routines makes food waste reduction seem so elusive.

While there may be no short of food waste reduction/avoidance methods, many require some form of commitment, time and effort to sustain. For the average household of working individuals, it’s a big ask.  

Known reduction/avoidance methods not a one-size-fits-all
Picture this. A five-person household attempts meal planning and prepping. On the other hand, a single-person household attempts composting. The latter is more likely to meet with success simply because of the household’s size. While the former just meets with disagreement…

For one reason or another, households may meet with constraints and/or challenges when implementing these methods. When one method does not work, it’s common and understandable to believe the same of the other options and throw in the towel. Or trash.

Composting
A decomposition method that turns food scraps into compost, which can be used as soil additives in gardens. Talk about literally giving back to the earth!

Composting seems like a great, au-naturel, way to divert food waste from waste bins and landfills but can also be tedious, even unpleasant, when not done right.


a. High commitment, uncertain returns
It would be great if we could just dump our food scraps into a composting bin and call it a day. However, getting a bin with soil is only the beginning of the process. You’re going to have to show the composting bin some real TLC.

From figuring out ideal feed for the soil to ensuring enough moisture(but not too much!), there’s a lot more science and experimentation to it than meets the eye. Worst case scenario? The compost quality isn’t satisfactory even after all that time and effort.

If you’re already struggling with managing the needs of your family member(s), composting will only further complicate the situation. Thanks, but no thanks.

b. No space and use for composting
Don’t have a garden, don’t own plants and therefore don’t feel any draw to compost? That makes two… or many of us actually.

In densely populated Singapore, space is a luxury. Composting is very much the opposite, needing space and ideally a garden or at least some potted plants that can be fed compost.

c. Infestation and odour
There are composting methods that use tiny creatures like worms and there are
composting methods that attract uninvited guests (No, I’m not referring to your in-laws) like flies, mosquitoes and even rats. There is a difference.

This is no surprise when food is essentially decomposing in the bin, the ideal breeding ground for harmful bacteria that emit odours.

Meal planning and prepping
A means of combatting impulse purchases and meals that can result in food wastage, meal planning requires you knowing exactly what your meals are and sticking true to them.

a. Time-consuming and regimental
As long as the word “planning” exists, it entails sitting down and taking already-scarce time to research and plan for what’s needed. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t really sound fun nor exciting. Especially if your household comprises picky eaters or individuals of varying dietary preferences.

Sometimes, the joy of mealtime lies in its spontaneity and flexibility of when to cook or not.

b. Being too ambitious
Meal planning is said to expose households to an increased, more nutritious
variety of food that can eradicate meal monotony. Great news for young.             children who expect a different answer to “What are we having?” daily!

While browsing and researching recipes, the abundance will likely overstimulate and excite. Before you know it, you’re in the kitchen wondering what came over you during meal planning.

For good measure: only 22% of Singaporeans cook at home so don’t go too hard during recipe selection.

c. Lack of foundational knowledge about ingredients
Even if you decide not to reference recipes for your meal plans, the chosen
ingredients are what make or break any meal plan.

“Are they flexible enough?”

“Can they go well with most other ingredients but still tasty and nutritional
when consumed on its own?”

Given the sheer amount of Singaporeans that cook at home, we’re unlikely to
grocery shop with this consideration in mind.

Using and repurposing offcuts/leftovers
When we cook fish, we do not use all of it. Most of the time, the fish’s head, tail and bones are left to be disposed of. That’s as much as 60% of the fish wasted!

Yes, it’s classified wasted because it can actually still be used for stocks and broths. The same concept applies to other meats, fruits and vegetables. The vast majority of us are just unaware of ways to use the less common parts of our food.

a. Prefer to do things the ‘usual’ way
We’ve always been cooking our food a certain way. Whether via recipe or from memory. If it does not call for usage of the other parts, consumers are unlikely to go the extra mile to fully utilise them too.

b. Even more steps and prep
Utilising offcuts usually require extra steps that are secondary and unrelated to the main recipe. After spending a considerable amount of time cooking in the kitchen, there’s just no added benefit of repurposing offcuts. It’s still easier to dispose of everything.

c. May still result in waste
When, and if, these secondary offcut recipes are followed through, its consumption is not guaranteed. Especially if it’s something rather specific like breadcrumbs or fruit jelly.

Everyday, easier ways to reduce household food waste
As the pressure on reducing food waste mounts, we did the dirty work and have populated a list of what appears to be more manageable, everyday ways of reducing food waste.

Ranked from easiest to most tedious in our humble opinion. You don’t have to take our word for it.

1. Keep track of your inventory
Food waste is a byproduct of our purchase and consumption choices. If we know exactly what we have and are mindful to use all of it, the food waste issue can be nipped in the bud. How do we waste when there’s nothing to waste?

a. Take a ‘shelfie’ of your inventory
Instead of taking a selfie at the grocery store for social media, take a shelfie of your inventory before heading grocery shopping. It’s a quick and easy way to know exactly what you have! What’s more, you can refer to it from literally anywhere.

ps. don’t forget to delete the old images!

b. Leave a list on your refrigerator
Not a fan of photos? A simple list on your refrigerator will do. You don’t even need to look in the refrigerator to know what you have!

In fact, certain smart refrigerators are equipped with cameras that allow you to view its content in real-time.

c. Labeling for clarity
If you’ve ever gotten frustrated by the varying placements of date labels on different products, you’re not alone. It’s even worse when the date is on the external packaging but not the individual item. Our solution? Get your own labels.

Purchasing labels not only standardise the placement of date labels, you can note down specific things about the item or even colour code and categorise the items. It’s like a planner, but for your refrigerator!

2. Organise your refrigerator
A refrigerator is like a home. Just for food. Wouldn’t it be much easier to come home, after a long day, to a well-organised one where you can easily find what you need?

a. Prioritising
Everything in your refrigerator may seem important since you purchased them. Which is true. Buy only what you need.

However, organising your refrigerator according to categories and food groups not only makes things easier to find, but ensures they are placed in the most ideal part of the refrigerator.

While these are merely best practices, it is entirely up to you to find an organisation style that works best for you and your groceries. And pesky family members, perhaps?

b. Dedicate a day for clearing out the refrigator
We’re all guilty of abruptly ditching our plans to cook. Or leaving leftover food in the refrigerator. Or forgetting to use that broccoli in the recipe you attempted earlier in the week.

As the weekend approaches and things start to slow down, take some time for a ‘Fridge-raid’. Not only are there plenty of recipes out there, it’ll help you clear and prepare your fridge for another week of grocery runs. At the same time, use this opportunity to clean your refrigerator of any spills, grime and dirt.

3. Know your date labels
Date labels appear to be rather straightforward- simply consume the food item by the stated date. However, with varying ways of displaying these dates, they can become ambiguous and confusing for consumers.

Did you know? “Food is past its expiry date” is one of the leading reasons behind household food waste in Singapore.

But how much of the food is actually expired? Are we just mindlessly disposing of our food the moment it has exceeded its expiry date?

a. Match your lifestyle to your dates
For those who cook often, purchasing fresh food items are less likely to be an issue. However, if you’re just like me and rarely cook, purchasing ‘use by’ labeled food might be unideal. Instead, opt for ‘best before’ food items with a longer shelf life.

Knowing your own routine can help you exercise more discretion when purchasing groceries.

b. Practice FIFO(First in, first out)
Whether you decide to buy ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ labeled items, utilise them in a chronological order. It’s out with the old and in with the new!

Not only are you ensuring everything purchased is consumed, you’ll have less trash clearing to do.

4. Freeze what you don’t need
If you find yourself constantly struggling to consume your food items by its stated date, freezing them might just be your next best solution.

Most food items can enjoy an extended shelf life of 6 months to even a year when freezed properly.

5. Good things must share!
Partake in the ‘kampung spirit’ by passing down your surplus food items to your neighbour, friend or family member. No one to pass it down to? Or not on good terms with your neighbour?

a. Store it in a community fridge
A common sight at Singapore HDB void decks, free-for-all community fridges let you pass down your surplus food items to someone who may need it more. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find something nice too!

b. Donate and/or redistribute your food
From community apps to organisations that carry out food rescues, there are several ways you can redistribute your food that would otherwise be binned.

If all else fails,

6. Join a meal subscription service
Thanks for reading our article but you don’t have to worry about any of the above if you join a meal subscription service. Customised to meet your nutritional needs and goals, all you need to do is eat!

Finding what works for you
It’s true, food waste reduction isn’t easy. Which is why it’s a problem in the first place. However, it does not have to be difficult either. No one household is the same and we just have to find what makes food waste reduction the easiest. Just like our list, you’ll probably have your preferred methods.

Whether it’s composting, meal planning or both, methods that feel natural to us are more likely to become long-term practices. And only with long-term practices will we be able to achieve long-term results.

Ugly foods are more than just their mere imperfect appearances.

There have been many efforts put into promoting the beauty of ugly foods to reduce food wastage. And as our country progresses towards a Zero Waste Nation, we start to see more appreciation towards ugly foods.

Local startups like  UglyFood and TreeDots started their businesses with a mission to sell and promote the acceptance towards ugly foods. Many campaigns such as Food Unfiltered were also launched to change mindsets and perceptions towards ugly foods.

So what are some new beauties of ugly foods that we are starting to see now?

Let’s dive in to find out.

Contains more nutrients than ‘attractive’ looking food

Contrary to popular belief, ugly foods are not any less nutritious than their prettier counterparts.

Research has shown that ugly food contains more nutrients like antioxidants and phenolic compounds than pretty looking food. In fact, some ugly foods are even less likely to be exposed to pesticides which means it can end up with 20 to 40% of antioxidants making them more nutritious.

Talk about the healthy benefits!

Helps you to save more money

Due to the constant demand and beauty standards of ‘perfect’ looking foods, supermarkets and food retailers practise ‘cosmetic filtering’ on their food. This means that they will only pick out pretty looking foods to sell at a higher price.

What happens to the foods which are filtered out because they colors and shapes don’t fit in?

In order to not waste the ‘ugly’ looking food, they will often sell it at a discounted price. As consumers, knowing at ugly foods are harmless when eaten, buying ugly foods from supermarkets will mean we can save a lot of money.

If you can get the same type of food with the same amount of nutrients for a cheaper price, why not go for it?

Helps to cut back on food waste

Food waste is a huge problem in many countries, including in Singapore. The total amount of food waste generated in 2021 was 817,000 tonnes, which is 23% more than the amount generated in 2020.

It is estimated that Singapore imports a whopping 988,500 tonnes of food annually, and 72% of it gets wasted. Half of the wasted food is fresh fruits and vegetables which are perfectly edible. Supermarkets and retailers are very much contributors to this problem. On average, supermarkets like FairPrice throws away 2,900 tonnes of unsold food over the past few years due to over-ordering and cosmetic filtering of ugly foods.

Buying ‘ugly’ food will help food retailers and supermarkets to clear their shelves easily without having to dispose of leftovers and this can significantly reduce the food wastage problems we see on a retail level.

Support local agriculture businesses

We tend to give recognitions and awards to chefs who prepare our food. But what about the farmers who grew and harvested the ingredients?

Backend farming and production of fresh food production processes are not commonly seen by consumers. But it is important to know that without local farmers, consumers like ourselves won’t have the privilege to have good and healthy food placed on our tables everyday.

Many resources have been used to grow the crops such as seeds, soils, fertilisers, machinery and long hours of man labour. And when consumers filter out ugly foods, most of the hard work goes to waste with farmers ending up not profiting as much as they should have.

When consumers like us take the step to ignore beauty standards and consume ugly foods, we are also showing appreciation to the farmers for their constant hard work.

It takes collective effort to change everyone’s perception towards ugly foods. Ugly foods contain more benefits than costs so let’s all take an active step towards accepting ugly foods and consuming them then next time we prepare a meal.

Why do 83% of Singaporeans only choose or consume food which are ‘attractive’ looking? Is it because ugly food isn’t instagrammable?

Maybe.

And since we are the pay-masters, supermarkets actually require local farmers to ensure that their fresh produce is of  a certain color, shape and size so that we will buy them.

So what happens to food that doesn’t meet these beauty standards? Well, most of them either get disposed of, or donated to charities and private organisations like UglyFoods who will then make sure these foods gets a second chance in life.

But here’s the golden question. Why do we even need organisations to “save” ugly foods? What if there’s nothing wrong with ugly foods in the first place and we have been wrong about it?

Let’s find out!

‘Ugly’ doesn’t mean spoilt

“Never judge a book by its cover”. This saying applies to everyone and everything.

But why do we judge in the first place? Easy, it is a human intuition. Our impression about anything is formed within the first 7 seconds of seeing it. Which means, once we take a look at an ugly food versus pretty looking food, we immediately form a preference for the pretty looking one.

Despite having little to no difference in its nutrient content, consumers feel that many people believe that pretty food is more natural and healthier.

That’s because we tend to connect natural beauty with what is healthy and good, and this can influence our perception that pretty food is also healthy. However, this association often mislead us into discarding ugly food.

It most definitely doesn’t help that we're bombarded with about 19 food and restaurant ads per day - that's almost 7,000 annually, that reminds us pretty food is better.

Contrary to what these ads tell us, ugly food may even be healthier than conventionally attractive fruits and vegetables. The fact is ugly food is actually just the result of factors like soil conditions, temperature, genetic variation, and pollination issues. It's completely safe to eat and it's important to remember that perfect-looking produce isn't always found in nature on its own.

That's what makes it natural. Because it hasn't been altered by humans or any other external influence.

‘Ugly’ doesn’t mean a waste of money.

In Singapore, people often expect perfection and value-for-money when it comes to their produce. Just take a look at all of us pressing or squeezing the fruits and vegetables during purchase, just to make sure we buy the “perfect” produce.

It is alarming to note that 30% of produce are destined for the bins every day because of how they look. Despite knowing that advertisments are out to paint the perfect picture, we still willingly allow it to bias our perceptions - companies and marketeers know it too.

One example of great marketing is the famous golden arches that is McDonald’s.

McDonald’s advertisements and menus have always showcased their food items to be perfectly shaped, well-colored and tasty. And naturally, that’s what we’re going to expect when we purchase a good ol’fashioned Big Mac.

So God forbids when we receive amisaligned Big Mac burger?

But, let's be honest, a senget Big Mac absolutely does not taste any different from a perfect one. So despite what everyone says, let’s make a mental note now that ‘ugly’ doesn’t mean ‘unhealthy’,‘spoiled’ or a ‘waste of money’. Taste and nutrition-wise, they are all the same, if not, better.

Ugly foods have been constantly rejected by society because of their appearance. But it is important to know that ugly foods are no different than the pretty looking ones.attractive looking foods.

So next time when you are grocery shopping, give the ugly ones a chance too.

If you had to choose between cooking your meal, purchasing takeaway, and getting it delivered to your doorstep, what would you pick? We’re guessing the latter.

Don’t worry, we would too! ‌‌‌‌In fact, 70% of Singaporeans would probably do the same. With food delivery platforms able to deliver all kinds of food from hawker delights to fine dining and groceries, it can be hard to resist.

Convenience is a priority for consumers
According to a recent customer experience report by Zendesk, convenience is one of the top priorities for consumers amidst the continued adoption of digital solutions. The culprit? The Covid-19 pandemic.

Even though food delivery platforms and digital services pre-date the pandemic, dining and social gathering restrictions during the height of the pandemic pushed many to utilise them. Similarly, businesses had to adapt quickly to changing consumer habits or risk being upended.

Did you know? Food delivery platforms revenues surged by 50% in 2020, with monthly active users in Singapore nearly double that of 2019!

For many consumers, delivery platforms provided them with more than food, it was a form of escape from the pandemic blues. For others, it gave them a chance to dabble in cooking, something they had never done pre-pandemic.

New normal, new food habits
As we transition from pandemic to endemic, convenience has established itself as a mandatory part of the consumer experience. While physical experiences such as shopping at the grocery store and dining in at restaurants are ever-present, consumers still enjoy the additional, contactless option of delivery.

Being creatures of habit, it can be hard to let go of something that has felt natural for so long. Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with diversifying your options right?

Well, here’s where convenience can become an inconvenience
You’ve heard the saying, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.

Now that consumers have a myriad of options to choose from via digital and physical means, purchase and consumption habits have also increased. Additionally, with some of the highest internet adoption levels in the world, Singaporeans’ appetite for convenience is set to grow further!

However, an increased appetite coupled with the thrill of online ordering, inevitably contributes to an already-prevalent problem: household food waste.

Over the last 10 years, Singapore’s food waste amount has grown by around 20%.
Most of Singapore’s food waste data is monitored downstream, making consumers purchase and consumption decisions even more crucial in the reduction of food waste.

When convenience and variety are readily available, consumers may:

1. Confuse the ‘needs’ vs. ‘wants’
A lot of the time, needs and wants tend to overlap. Whether in the form of a discount, bundle deal or simply being ‘kiasu’, access to them both in-store and online can blur the line between essentials and simply nice-to-haves.

2. Buy more than necessary
You’ve heard of revenge-travelling post-pandemic, but there’s revenge-buying too! The pandemic allowed online grocery shopping platforms like RedMart to import food items from international brands such as Lotte, Woolworths and more.

For the travel-starved, this is likely a dream come true. However, it results in buying more than necessary. Be it seasonal fruits, limited edition international snacks or just out of sheer stockpiling habits post-pandemic.

Did you know? 76% of Singaporeans do not intend to return to pre-pandemic shopping levels.

3. Forget what they bought
Even though most Singaporeans have a shopping routine, our carts have grown significantly since the pandemic. With more items in the inventory, consumers are more likely to overlook items they have bought. When consumers discover their surplus items, it may be too late to salvage it.

4. Over-order food items
Just like the increase in groceries purchased, Singapore’s food delivery orders have grown both in size and price. Being able to enjoy a variety of options conveniently through a single platform continues to drive consistent usage of food delivery platforms.

Whether for social gatherings or regular meals, food delivery remains an option, only contributing to the ongoing issue of food waste.

5. Have leftovers from meals
A common sight even before the pandemic, over-ordering inevitably leads to unfinished meals. Instead of looking for alternative ways to use and/or save them for later, chucking it into the bin seems like the most convenient option.

6. Use ingredients for one-off purposes
Even as some consumers keep up the habit of cooking from home post-pandemic, ingredients(and its parts) are often based on specific recipes. Unless the same dish is cooked multiple times, ingredients are often discarded after use.

Everyone contributes to food waste
If you relate strongly to what was mentioned above, you’re surely contributing to household food waste. Truth is, everyone is probably guilty to some extent.

Given that the city-state imports 90% of its food, a 20% growth takes a rather big bite out of its already finite supply. If food waste continues to be generated at this rate, food security may be compromised.

For a country that prides itself in its eclectic cuisine, are consumers turning a blind eye to the consequences of their food consumption and purchasing habits? Or are we just jaded?

Why is food waste reduction/avoidance so difficult to achieve?
Earlier, we elaborated on the ease of purchasing food. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about its reduction. Requiring education, awareness and effort to effectively reduce, some common painpoints faced by consumers are:

1. No time to waste. Pun intended.
In a country where only 1 in 4 workers get at least 7 hours of sleep and yet work some of the longest hours in the Asia Pacific region, taking steps to reduce food waste may be a tall order.

After getting home from work at 7pm at the earliest if we’re lucky, financial loss from wasted food is likely the last thing on our minds.

2. Eating out
After a long few years of having our right to dine-in abruptly taken(and returned!) from us, eased restrictions have seen an uptick in consumers returning to dine-in. This makes perfect sense for a country where eating is a pastime and means of socialising.

Between work and home-cooked food, popping by the nearest hawker centre or restaurant for a meal on the way home just seems like the easier, least time, and energy-consuming option. At times, dining out may be a spontaneous decision, resulting in wastage of the food at home.

3. Abundance of food options
Singapore isn’t called the melting pot for no reason. Home to diverse cultures and traditions, there is naturally an abundance of food. According to Professor Jeyakumar Henry, “a diverse plethora of food” can make consumers want to eat more even when they do not need to.

Giving in to temptations and indulging can lead to the generation of even more food waste.

4. Lack of meal planning and preparation knowledge
Even though Singapore loves its food, we prefer to remain as its consumers. As compared to the rest of the world, only 22% of Singaporeans cook at home. For comparison, nearly half of the people in London, Paris and China cook at home daily.

Of the 22% who cook, most rely on recipes as a fail-proof method of cooking. It can be tedious to plan recipes with existing ingredients in mind, often leading to the disposal of the excess ingredients.

5. General ignorance
When we throw out expired or leftover food, we don’t think much about what happens to it and the greater problem it’s contributing to. “A little bit only la!” is generally what Singaporeans think of their food disposal actions. However, just like many things, a little can go a long way in terms of generating food waste.

A personal choice
At the end of the day, food waste is unavoidable. However, there are small, everyday steps we can take to reduce food waste. Most of the time, food waste can actually be consumed or used for other purposes.
Through more conscious purchase and consumption practices, we will be one step closer to reducing our household food waste. And if every household does so, imagine the benefits it will have on the country and our earth.

Stay tuned for part 2 where we share some everyday steps you can take to reduce and even avoid food waste!

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Food waste is a common topic that is always at the back of our minds, and yet we still don’t have any concrete solutions till date.

Despite all efforts by the Singapore government and private institutions, the results of reducing food wastage are still not that desireable. In recent years, households have wasted about $342 million of unconsumed food annually.

Why are we not seeing any results?

Through our extensive ground research and interviews, we concluded that one of the main reasons why household food waste occurs is because consumers don’t understand what the different food expiry labels mean. And this results in unnecessary disposal of perfectly consumable food.

Even with the guidelines from Singapore Food Agency, consumers are still not able to understand the differences in the labels.

When you see “Use by”, “Best before” and “Expiry date”, do you know what the differences are in these phrases? To be honest, I get confused with these labels too and I am very guilty of throwing away food as a result of that.

Which is why this article hopes to help consumers better understand food labels and what it really means.

So what exactly does each label mean?

According to the Singapore Food Agency, the labels on food products have different meanings.

“Use by” labels are for health and safety precautions

“Use by” labels are a guide for food safety and precautions. Which means that food that has passed the stated date is not safe for consumption.

According to the Singapore Food Agency, this label can often be found on perishable foods like fish, fresh meat, dairy products and ready to eat meals. And for such perishable foods, it is important to follow the storage instructions (such as ‘Keep it refrigerated’) and prepare the food as described on the packaging.

Fresh meat and dairy products contain microbes which will grow over time and spoil the food when it is left untouched for too long or not stored properly. This is harmful to the body when eaten beyond the “Use by” date.

In other words, even if the food looks and smells fine, you should not consume the food past it’s stated date as you may end up falling sick.

“Best before” labels refer to food quality

“Best before” labels tells you about the the quality of the food.

This means that the food quality is at its best until the stated “Best before” date. Which is why these labels are often found in food with longer shelf lives like staples (rice, cereal, noodles) and processed canned foods.

You may wonder, “is the food safe to eat after the best before date?”. The answer is yes. It’s normally safe to eat the food, but the taste, texture and smell may not be at its best. Even if the quality has dropped a little, you can repurpose the food by using it for cooking or baking.

Another trick you can try is to use your senses! A simple “look-smell-taste” method can help you to determine if the food is still safe to be eaten after the date!

“Sell by” means when to stop selling the food

The “Sell by” labels are commonly used to inform retailers when they need to remove the food products from the shelves.

According to the Singapore Food Agency’s guidelines, it is illegal for retailers to sell food past the “Sell by” dates as the food quality is no longer acceptable.

But this doesn’t mean that the food is not safe to consume after the stated date. Which is why you often see supermarkets and food retailers selling near-expiry items at a lower price or even donating them to charities and redistribution centers.

“Expiry date” tells you if the food is safe to be eaten

“Expiry date” has too many definitions and there is unfortunately no fixed definition for it.

However, there is a common understanding from experts that this label tells consumers the last day that the food is safe to be eaten.

But if you are still unsure about it, you can do a simple taste test to see if the food is spoiled.

Conclusion

Misconceptions towards expiry labels is one of the main cause of household food waste. By understanding what the different expiry labels mean, and whether the food can be safely consumed helps to greatly reduce unnecessary food wastes from households.

So next time before you buy any food products, take the extra minute to look at the expiry label and understand how you need to store the food so that the quality doesn’t drop and it is safe for consumption.

Let’s all work towards reducing food waste by making better decisions when purchasing food products.

Dateline travels to Singapore to find out why it’s education system tops the global leader board.

We look at high-stakes testing, and ask if the culture of competition puts too much pressure on kids.

As Singaporeans, we are no strangers to the topic of food wastage. Our government have ran countless campaigns such as the Clean Plate Campaign or Project Green Table that Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment announced back in June 2022.

Singapore is a food paradise and naturally, the amount of food wastage is not decreasing too. While we don’t see it physically, the numbers mounting up to the amount of food wastage in Singapore alone is quite a scary number.

The amount of food wastage generated in Singapore has grown by 20% over the past 10 years. In 2019, Singapore generated around 744 million kg of food waste. That is equivalent to 2 bowls of rice per person per day, or around 51,000 double decker buses. As a tiny island like Singapore, we are generating food wastage amounts comparable to larger countries like Korea and Japan.

How is that even possible?

Could it be due to the lack of awareness? Or is it just the lack of vested interest by Singaporeans? Or maybe it’s the combination of both.

That’s a topic of discussion for another day. With the upcoming festivities, let’s spend some time to talk about some quick fixes we can take to reduce food wastage during the festive period.

How much festive food waste does Singapore contribute?

Here’s a rough gauge for you. As a multi-cultural society, Singapore has about 20 cultural festivals ongoing annually. Each Singaporean just has to discard one plate worth of food at each festival and we will generate a whopping 112 million plates of food waste!

Despite the countless efforts to reduce food wastes, it just doesn’t seem enough.

More can be done for sure, maybe even taking extreme measures such as imposing a maximum amount of food you can order instead of a minimum order.

But let’s admit it, such initiatives take ages to implement, let alone generating positive results.

As individuals, we do have the power to make changes within our three foot world. As we continue to enjoy the festivities, here are three easy steps we can take to make a small contribution to food wastage. And truth be told, the lesser we waste, the lesser we spend too.

Reduce

Downsizing portion sizes

Because we are gracious hosts and also as part of Singapore’s foodie culture that we cannot let our guests leave hungry; we tend to over-order for our guests.

And if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll have a couple pieces left, or the legendary paiseh piece.

What if we told you that you don’t have to do that, and that it is perfectly fine to order just enough.

Not only does downsizing serving portions reduce food waste and food costs, it also reduces the festive gains on your waistlines!

The trick to this is to spend a couple of minutes understanding the dietary preferences of your guests. Here’s a quick set of questions you can copy and paste to all your group chats when you’re planning the menu!

If all else fails, you can encourage your guests to finish the food that they put on their plates so that it makes the cleaning process easier.

Redistribute

Encourage the ‘dabao’ culture

Who isn’t familiar with the phrase “If you can’t finish your food, simply dabao it?”

Studies show that people are more likely to take away leftover food when they know that such actions would help to reduce food waste and save them money on food as well.

So what happens when you have too much excess cooked food? You can prepare a few takeaway containers and invite your lovely guests to ‘dabao’ some of the leftover food back home.

Encouraging the dabao culture would not only prevent the leftover food from being thrown away, but it would also help your guests to reduce food costs.

Practise good storing habits

Some guests may be unwilling to dabao the food back. What else can you do then?

You can make sure that the food is well stored so that it doesn’t go bad over the next few days. When it comes to leftover cooked food, always store them in the fridge or freezer compartment overnight. It is never good to leave your cooked food out in the open for too long or dispose them after the party is over.

Different food items have different refrigerated shelf lives. So it is essential to familiarise yourself with it. Here are some duration guidelines on how long you can refrigerate your food for and still be able to consume it afterwards.

Upcycle

Upcycle the raw ingredients that you have

What is ‘Upcycling’? Upcycling food means using ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured and produced using verified supply chains, and have a positive impact on the environment.

To summarise, upcycling food is finding ways to convert the spare food ingredients into something useful like other food items or fertilizers.

So what about upcycling that we can do? Let’s use a whole fish as an example. You are planning to prepare a whole fish to serve to your guests, but you will not need the fish head, bone, fins and tails. So what can you do with those spare ingredients? You can use the fish bones and tails into soup. You can use the fish head to cook fish head curry.

This is just one out of many examples of how you can upcycle spare ingredients in your house. There are too many to list them down one by one. So here are more examples of upcycling food recipes.

Upcycling food is proven to provide proteins, fiber, and nutrients that might otherwise have gone to waste. So instead of throwing away the parts of the raw ingredient, you can fully utilise the whole food item and minimise food wastage.

Conclusion

We get it, it is hard to really buy less. You will hear the murmurs from your guests if your portions can’t offer them a second helping. So rather than asking you to cut down or buy lesser food, why not try a different way? Don’t throw away excess food since those foods are also a monetary cost being lost. You don’t see it physically, but it’s the truth.

Food waste is a huge problem that has been present for a long time and it has detrimental effects towards the environment and food security issues throughout the world. So we as consumers can do our part to reduce food wastage and encourage others to do the same.

She starts off her day with a cup of coffee and a meditation session. Following that, she spends her day at Feelers working on different creative projects!

Meet Kia Yee, the label lead, artist and writer at Feelers.

In this week’s #PotatoSpotlight, she takes us through how COVID-19 has led her to her current career at Feelers and what are some exciting projects we can look forward to at Feelers!

1. Tell us a little about yourself! (Doesn't have to be centred around work!)

I’m a practicing poet and artist who leads Feelers, an artist-run label focused on art and technology. Libra Sun, Virgo Moon, Scorpio Rising :3

2. Share with us more about your role as the Project Lead at Feelers

I oversee the direction and development of Feelers as a business and artist-run project. I also support our Technology Lead, Ashley, wherever I can.

3. What led to your current career at Feelers?

I think it was a matter of being at the right place and the right time. When COVID-19 hit, I was reflecting on how my artistic and writing practice would need to adapt and grow to survive under the new conditions. Hans, our Head Spud, spoke to me and some other staff members then about looking for tech solutions to support artists. Though I was quite resistant to the idea of using technology in my work, I leaned in and the slow process of reflecting and iterating since is what led me here.

4. Share with us what a typical work day at Feelers is like for you?

I wake up, meditate, read, and make coffee before checking in with Ashley, and spending the rest of the day working on whatever project we’re focusing on at the moment. Because our projects are quite fluid, I don’t really have a typical set of tasks. They range from content development and budgeting to marketing, writing and video editing. But most of my time and energy is actually spent on thinking – thinking deeply about where Feelers can and should go.

5. Feelers has launched numerous interesting projects such as build-a-caifan and Streetlamp No 107101, what inspires the team to come up with such unique ideas for the project?

We follow where our intuition, curiosity, and artistic desires lead.

6. What advice would you give to others who aspire to have a career in the multi-disciplinary art and design industry?

Take time to clarify your desires and intentions with yourself. Because the conditions can be harsh (low pay, few opportunities, long hours), you need to know why you’re here and what you truly want to do. It helps to hold on to these, so you don’t lose sight of them as other pressures come in.

Also, find community. Find people who will eat supper with you, ask you good questions about your work, who you can be honest with. Don’t go at things alone.

Finally, stay open to change, and reflect regularly upon where you are and what else is possible. Your path will likely look quite different from what you expect. Trust the process and take care of your health as you go.

7. Any interesting projects that we can look forward to for Feelers?

We’re undergoing a rebrand and shift in our business model towards something that feels more aligned and sustainable! Launching at the end of the year :)

8. Share with us what is one attribute of Potato which you really like.

I like how open we are to new ideas and possibilities. Curiosity is key to how we operate, and it makes for a lot of fun, a lot of hope.

9. (Just for fun!) If you could use an object/person to represent 2022, what/who will it be and why?

Probably the sun (which is neither an object or a person). It’s been a pretty active year of being more social and visible as an artist, writer, friend and family member, which has led to a lot of joy :)

If you want to have a chat with Kia Yee to find out more about her experiences or Feelers, click here.

In this week’s #PotatoSpotlight, we have Gwyneth, Kontinentalist’s talented writer and assistant editor!

Amongst Kontinentalist’s many amazing stories, you can definitely spot Gwyneth’s work! (Hint: she is really passionate about how the Earth works and writes mostly about the environment).

Read on as Gwyneth shares about how she started her career at Kontinentalist, what tips she has for writers, and what is a forever-food item she will eat!

1. Tell us a little about yourself! (Doesn't have to be centred around work!)

I’m an introvert who is pretty “basic"—I like all the popular shows, animes, games, and music. Very much a homebody, which is why working from home has been great for me, though Pei Ying (my boss) has been putting in considerable effort to try to lure me out of my house and back into the office a few times a week.

2. Share with us more about your role as the assistant editor at Kontinentalist!

My main tasks are writing, researching, and editing work that goes out onto our website. I also do quite a bit of data collection and analysis for our stories and projects.

3. What led you to your current career at Kontinentalist?

I was supposed to start my PhD 6 months after graduation, so during this period I had nothing to do and thus applied to be an intern at Kontinentalist. I ended up really liking the job as it combined my love for research and writing. At the same time, my PhD wasn’t going as planned for a few reasons, so after much deliberation I let go of it and asked for—and was fortunately granted—a full-time position at Kontinentalist. I started in January 2020, right before the pandemic!

4. You have written many amazing stories which have been published on Konti’s website such as Fengshui, Wild Otters, and more! What is your thought process when you are researching and writing these stories?

I usually start with figuring out what my audience would like to read, in terms of content, angle, and style/tone of writing. I do a lot of environmental stories because I’m passionate about how the Earth works and it’s my background, but environmental topics have often been said and done too many times, and while urgent, they’re not more exciting or enticing than fun, cultural topics.

So the challenge is often to create a piece that is eye-catching and makes the reader want to stay to the end—to do this, our team has tried using cute illustrations, cool visualisations, many different sorts of interactive elements, and various storytelling styles.

5. What led you to your current career at Kontinentalist?

Singapore Where Got Ghost?

Born to fly: The life, journey, and trials of a migratory bird

Inside the sacred Hajj pilgrimage

Abandoned at sea: The desperate journeys of Rohingya refugees

What can we tell from the evolution of Han Chinese names?

6. What do you think are some important attributes a good writer should have?

I think a good writer should have a willingness to accept constructive feedback and to use that to improve their writing style. I also think patience is important—getting good results from research usually takes a while, and even more so when data collection is involved.

7. What about data storytelling that really intrigues you?

I like the whole concept of data storytelling being the bridge between research and a general audience. I think there’s a lot of good data out there, and usually they’re results that researchers have worked many, many years for. However, the general audience often don’t have the time to read detailed academic articles or have access to these articles, since many are hidden behind paywalls. So data storytelling makes such research accessible to an audience that can take relevant action if needed.

8. If you could share one interesting fact about Kontinentalist, what would it be?

About Kontinentalist—a few of us just took a trip to Jakarta to attend the wedding of a team member!

9. (Just for fun!) If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Potato (ha ha). If it's for the rest of my life, I'll need something versatile and delicious in every way you choose to cook or prepare it.

If you want to have a chat with Gwyneth to find out more about her experiences or Kontinentalist, click here.

Yes, you read the title right. Meet Vaibhav, the man who loves cooking but finds eating to be a chore. Tell me about it, right?

Technical Leader at Tusitala by day and a certified professional in Spirits(No, we don’t mean the Supernatural) by night, join us for this week’s #PotatoSpotlight as Vaibhav shares more about what he does at Tusitala alongside some other interesting hobbies and pastimes.

1. Tell us a little about yourself! (Doesn't have to be centred around work!)

I am an avid Urdu and Hindi Poetry fan. I always carry an Urdu/Hindi poem book in my backpack and read it mostly when commuting. I have tried to write poems a few times, but to be good at it, is a dream that seems far away.

I also love to cook (primarily Indian cuisine) from time to time, especially over the weekends and avoid eating outside food. Spoiler – I also enjoy experimenting with alcoholic recipes and trying them on my friends.

2. What does it mean to be the Technical Leader at Tusitala?

Tusitala is a digital storytelling firm; being a Technical Leader is more than being a typical "IT guy" in a company like this. It comes with a lot of perks as well. I get to experiment with certain new technologies and platforms, be more hands-on, and potentially use them in our storytelling projects to make the project more immersive and interactive.

Apart from managing the IT infrastructure, one also has to manage the interns and freelancers, consult or advise ideas and platforms on what possible "trendy" interactive technology can be executed, and work as an incubator to help nascent projects. In layman's terms, be responsible for all the "tech tech" things.

3. After accumulating quite a bit of experience in the industry, what are some of your favourite projects/moments?

To be honest, I always consider the latest project I'm working on my favourite.

4. What's a common misconception about your job?

The biggest misconception about being a developer is that one must be good at maths and have a college degree. So I don't recommend any rebellious young teenager reading this to drop out of college. But I mean to say, anyone passionate about learning to code can self-teach themselves to become a developer.

People assume a developer's role is only to sit in front of a computer and develop websites or apps, but that is usually not the case. Instead, most planning is done away from the computer, putting pen to paper and drawing a rough idea of the steps or logic of the process to solve the problem.

5. Seems like you are qualified in Spirits, what made you want to pursue studies in that area?

I have always enjoyed having a chilled beverage or cocktail with my friends and family after a long work week. However, I think my geeky nature, in general, made me more curious to know more about the process and effort that is gone through to make a smooth and fine spirit.

So when I got to know about WSET, I immediately enrolled myself for their course in Spirits. I have done Level 1 and Level 2 right now. Unfortunately, levels 3 and 4 are not yet obtainable in Singapore. I might need to go to London to pursue further studies in this topic, but I do not intend to go for it. After finishing all 4 Levels, you'll hold a Diploma in Spirits. I never thought someone could graduate in Spirits!

One of the other reasons is also to sound more "atas" when drinking with my friends. LOL

6. What do you enjoy most about studying Spirits? Share with us one lesser-known fact about Spirits!

The most enjoyable thing about studying spirits is you get to drink while learning about them. So I would say it was one of my best schooling experiences. At the end of the day, the whole classroom, including the teacher, is tipsy.

Did you know?
- Scotch Whiskey is typically aged or matured in used barrels that once held bourbon. Scotch whiskey producers buy the used barrels from Bourbon producers.
- Frequently, brands mix the old produced spirit with the new one to maintain consistency. So that is why a new packaged bottle of Jack Daniels will have similar colour and taste to that of a 5-year-old bottle.

7. Do you have any advice for someone who aspires to be a Technical Leader?

Being a programmer in this modern era with an option to work in different domains and industry comes with much freedom. The most straightforward advice I can give newcomers is to understand what domain they are more interested in, learn about the current industry trends, and try to play around with different technologies or frameworks. Then, take one step at a time and, based on the current trends, start developing side projects for the portfolio. The essential part is understanding the business logic and how or why a particular tech will be helpful.

Being a technical leader is not at all about being the best programmer. Of course, the skills and expertise in the field are essential, but one should also be good at soft skills and learn to delegate specific tasks within the team. Be open to harvesting the knowledge of their team members and synthesising them into a better solution before deciding on the course forward.

The ability to understand the technical part and phrase it out in a simple, straightforward way is also essential. One thing I have learned while working in Tusitala is how to explain all the technical jargon in layman's terms to our clients or within the team itself, which has indirectly helped me understand the technical part from a different perspective.

8. Describe Tusitala in 3 words!

Storytellers, Creative, Immersive

9. Pick one- Never need to eat or never need to drink again? And why?

"Never need to eat again" – By now, anyone would have guessed my answer. Even though I love to cook, eating has always been a chore for me. I read an excerpt somewhere in Urdu/Hindi, and I live by that statement. "Mai hain toh main hoon, Mai nahi toh main nahi" roughly translates to "I'm where drinks are, I'm not where no drinks are."

For more about Vaibhav and Tusitala, click here!