Healthy Diet Without Wasting Food: A Two-Sided Solution to Tackling Food Waste
Indonesia is currently facing a rather troubling food paradox. On one hand, millions of people still struggle to meet their basic nutritional needs, yet on the other, the volume of food thrown away as waste is enormous. This issue took centre stage at the IHDC Youth x PERMIAS National Roundtable Discussion, themed Exploring Nutrition and Food Security in Indonesia, held recently in Jakarta.
The Chair of IHDC Youth, Eriq Moeloek, said the discussion aimed to bring young people’s perspectives together with those of experts. According to him, the food issue is not merely about availability, but about how existing resources can be used more wisely and responsibly.
Researcher and Founder of the Health Collaborative Center (HCC) Indonesia, Dr dr Ray Wagiu Basrowi, MKK, presented contrasting data on the nation’s food situation. He noted that around 23 million Indonesians are still unable to access sufficient nutritious food.
“That figure of 23 million people is huge. It’s almost the population of an entire European country,” Ray said. Ironically, amid this shortage, food waste continues on a massive scale.
Responding to individual consumption patterns, registered dietitian Elsa Hilman-Jenie emphasised that maintaining a diet does not have to be done in extreme ways. According to her, completely eliminating one’s favourite foods only makes a diet difficult to sustain.
“Never force yourself into a diet by completely eliminating the foods you love. Just adjust the portions,” Elsa said.
She gave the example that eating nuggets for breakfast remains permissible, as long as the amount is proportional and healthy menus remain the daily mainstay.
Elsa also debunked the myth that healthy food is always expensive. She recounted her experience accompanying athletes at the 2021 National Games (PON) who still met their physical targets relying solely on affordable food from a warteg, a roadside eatery.
“Just use ingredients that are easy to obtain. A diet doesn’t have to mean expensive edamame or sesame dressing,” she added.
Nutrition education also needs to be tailored to different age groups. For teenagers, an approach centred on body image is considered more effective, as they tend to have role models on social media. With proper understanding, young people are expected to care not only about their own health but also about environmental issues.
Ray called on the younger generation to start taking a real role in reducing food waste figures. Simple steps such as taking only as much food as one needs and finishing it are tangible contributions anyone can make.
“Even if we cannot open up access to nutritious food, at the very least we can help ensure that less food is thrown away,” Ray concluded. With sensible portion management, the public would not only safeguard their health but also help ease the national food waste burden.