Episode 53 - Managing food waste in healthcare settings - Nuts for Life

24 April 2025

April 2025.

Listen here:

And available everywhere you listen to podcasts: https://pod.link/thehealthyhandful

About this episode

Each year, Australians waste approximately 7.6 million tonnes of food across the entire supply chain – enough to fill a football stadium 10 times – at an annual cost of $36.6 billion to the economy.

While much of this waste happens at home, it also occurs in healthcare institutions, like hospitals.

In this episode, we speak with Dr Nathan Cook, a dietitian dedicated to creating sustainable food services. Nathan dives into the causes of food waste in healthcare, the ‘categories’ of foods wasted, and most-importantly, some solutions to this critical issue.

He unpacks the complexities of hospital food service, the challenges of managing waste, and the importance of effective reduction strategies.

Drawing from his own research, Nathan highlights practical ways to minimise waste and improve sustainability, and shares examples of successful community composting initiatives and partnerships in Australia.

He also discusses future opportunities for reusing and donating excess food in healthcare settings.

Key take-outs:

Food waste in hospital settings is inevitable, but effective strategies exist (and are in place) to help manage it.
Everyone has a responsibility to help reduce food waste.
At home, simple tips include only buying what you need, storing food (and that includes nuts!) correctly, and ensuring you eat the oldest foods first (or ‘FIFO’ – first in, first out)

How to reduce food waste at home

About today’s guest

Dr Nathan Cook is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Accredited Sports Dietitian, with an interest in building sustainable foodservices worldwide, sports nutrition for recreational runners and separate entrepreneurial ventures.

Nathan has a passion for clinical research and quality improvement projects in hospital dietetic services, with a desire to help build sustainable foodservice systems for public/private entities that consider the future of human and planetary health.

His PhD research focussed on the measurement and management of food waste in hospital foodservices through aggregate food waste audit activities and diverting food waste from landfill.