Goodstart Early Learning Taree works to reduce food waste through YBIF program

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) provider Goodstart Early Learning in Taree, New South Wales, has been exploring how to reduce food waste as part of the MidWaste Your Business is Food (YBIF) program.

The YBIF program, designed by the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) as part of the broader Love Food Hate Waste program, assists any businesses which are food-related, including clubs, pubs, aged care, and early learning facilities to reduce food waste, behave sustainably, and reduce costs lost to unused food purchases. 

Through participation in the program Goodstart Taree has reduced overall food waste by more than 85 per cent, local news source Manning River Times reported.

Speaking to the paper, centre cook Jodi Moore explained how the program has supported the staff team to be more mindful about how food is used and consumed in the service, examining exactly where food is being wasted, and making improvements to ensure that they are making better use of the food which is purchased. 

By participating in the program, the staff have become more involved in the food position of the service, as well as supporting families to learn more about food waste. The program also includes access to a project officer for free support, and a kit with resources to assist businesses to explore the causes of food waste and strategies to implement simple actions to reduce it. 

Participation in the program begins with the business completing an initial food waste review to work out where most food is being wasted (during preparation, storage, or from plates), and then undertakes two or three actions to reduce food waste before completing a follow up review to measure the success of the actions. 

More information about the YBIF program is available here, with access to the original coverage of the story available here.