Embracing Latino Heritage to Transform our Food System and Reduce Food Waste

Latino and hispanic food workers’ contributions are felt globally, as they infuse culinary diversity and sustainable practices into the food systems of countries around the world.

During Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month, ReFED honors the invaluable impact and influences of Latino food professionals to our global food system.  These contributions extend beyond crafting dishes infused with vibrant flavors that have left a lasting taste on American society — they are key players in the fight against food waste.

From the bustling kitchens of restaurants to the fields where our produce is grown, their dedication and skills enrich every inch of the supply chain. For instance:

• Latino farmers and agricultural workers are at the forefront of sustainable farming techniques, employing and crafting agritech and food tech solutions to better distribute food, increase agricultural efficiency, and minimize environmental impact to reduce food waste at the source.
• Several Latino food traditions revolve around resourceful cooking that optimizes root-to-stem ingredients. Dishes like arroz con pollo, utilizing leftover meats, and soups like caldo de res, using various cuts of meat and vegetables, exemplify this ethos.
• Many Latino communities are at the forefront of food recovery and redistribution efforts — establishing community gardens, food banks, and sharing fridges that foster a culture of sharing and minimizing wasted food.

Join us this month in celebrating the immense impact of Latino food workers on our food system and their tireless efforts to reduce food waste. Their practices not only nourish our bodies but also our planet for generations to come.

We’ve gathered several resources and articles at the intersection of food waste and the Latino community — including our recently released landscape assessment “Building a Food System that Works for Everyone (opens in a new tab)” featuring broader intersections between food waste and justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and if you have a favorite resource, please share it with us on social media:

• Three ambitious tech firms cutting food waste in Latin America (opens in a new tab)
• LatAm foodtech is flourishing with startups tackling food waste in the supply chain (opens in a new tab)
• Chilean Biotech Fotortec Partners with Sustainable Firms to Reduce Food Waste Upcycling Technology in Sweden (opens in a new tab)
• A playbook for Reducing Food Loss and Waste in Latin America and the Caribbean (opens in a new tab)
• Latin America poised to become renewable energy giant: report (opens in a new tab)
• Seven South and Central American Initiatives Empowering Women (opens in a new tab)
• Food donation as a strategy to reduce food waste in an emerging Latin American country: a case study in Uruguay (opens in a new tab)
• With the “Kinder Egg” strategy, startups attack food waste in Latin America (opens in a new tab)
• Latin America - Reducing methane emissions from organic waste (opens in a new tab)
• 19 Hispanic- and Latino-Owned Food Businesses We Love (opens in a new tab)
• 31 Latinx-Owned Food Brands You Should Add To Your Grocery List (opens in a new tab)
• Why Latinos are on the front lines of climate change (opens in a new tab)
• GreenLatinos Wants You to Keep Your Environmental Activism Intersectional (opens in a new tab)
• 10 Hispanic/Latinx Food Bloggers to Follow (opens in a new tab)