City of Toronto launches Love Food Hate Waste campaign with celebrity Chef Bob Blumer

Thursday, 23 May 2019 08:00.AM

The City of Toronto kicked off the 2019 Love Food Hate Waste (LFHW) campaign with celebrity Chef and eight-time Guinness World Record holder Bob Blumer, at the St. Lawrence Market this afternoon. Canada's National Zero Waste Council coordinated the national campaign, in partnership with the City of Toronto and other cities and large retailers across the country.

In support of the goals of the City's Long Term Waste Management Strategy and to reduce food waste, the campaign raises awareness of the amount of food waste that Canadian households generate and informs residents about small actions they can take to reduce food waste.

"Almost 60 per cent of household food waste in Canada is avoidable. This is costing the average household over $1,100 dollars a year. We all must work together to better plan, store and consume the food we buy so we can reduce the amount of food waste being thrown away.”
- Councillor James Pasternak (Ward 6 York Centre), Chair, Infrastructure and Environment Committee

Chef Blumer, LFHW Canada Ambassador, joined guests at the Market Kitchen in the St. Lawrence Market, where Chef Blumer demonstrated how to prepare an easy meal from commonly wasted food.

As part of the campaign, the public is invited to join Chef Blumer on Friday, May 24 at 11:30 a.m., at the St. Lawrence Market, 93 Front St. E. Live cooking demonstrations and sample dishes made with food provided by Second Harvest will be offered.

"Wasting food has a huge impact on our environment. We can't continue to waste as much as we do. This campaign is a great step to help change the way we think about food and to learn to be creative with what we have so we waste less."
- Councillor Mike Layton (Ward 11 University-Rosedale), member, National Zero Waste Council

Visitors are encouraged to follow @LFHW_ca on Instagram and/or Twitter and share their tips to reduce food waste, using the hashtag #LoveFoodHateWaste and #TOwastestrategy, to help create conversations about reducing food waste. To receive a free food sample while supplies last, visitors should show their social media post to volunteers, or share written or verbal tips to reduce food waste.