Feasting or Wasting? The Hidden Cost of Modern Celebrations

In my earlier articles, I discussed various sources of food waste—from harvesting to our homes and restaurants. Other common sources include social gatherings such as weddings, conferences, birthday parties, and similar events.

Let’s begin with a traditional village wedding, where age-old customs offer a sharp contrast to the wastefulness often seen at large events today.

Scene 1: It’s a wedding ceremony in a village. Per tradition, every family is invited to attend and share in the wedding lunch. At mealtime, guests sit in rows on the floor, usually on shared mats or something similar. Food is served on banana leaves or plates made by stitching together the broad leaves of the ‘Flame of the Forest’ tree.

Volunteers carefully regulate the portions to ensure that everyone receives just the right amount. The meal is enjoyed with appreciation, and typically, not a single morsel is left uneaten. Once the meal is over, the used ‘plates’ are collected and usually disposed of in a pit dug in the ground. Over time, they decompose naturally and turn into compost—a completely eco-friendly process.

In another setting, the spirit of tradition remains, but the arrangements reflect a more modern touch.

Scene 2: Another wedding, but with a slightly different setup. Guests are seated on chairs arranged behind rows of tables. The food is served either on leaf plates, as described earlier, or on stainless steel plates.

The overall approach remains the same—volunteers serve the food, and guests eat happily. In most cases, the plates are cleared without any leftover food. All clean!

However, in a more extravagant setting, the dynamics shift, and with it, the approach to food.

Scene 3: This time, it’s a big fat—or perhaps not-so-big fat—wedding. The hosts are keen to impress their guests and showcase their financial status, so a lavish buffet lunch or dinner is arranged. Alongside traditional Indian dishes, an array of exotic options from Chinese, Mexican, Italian, and other European cuisines are served, along with popular desi chaat counters.

Now, observe the guests. At the appointed time, they rush to the counters, collect their plates, and pile on as much food as the plate can hold. They then settle down to eat—but in many cases, they are unable to finish what they’ve taken. Half-eaten portions are left on the plates, which are eventually thrown in the bin.

Why do people feel the need to overload their plates with nearly everything on offer? It’s disheartening—and frankly, quite appalling—to see such large quantities of perfectly good food end up in the rubbish rather than in someone’s stomach.

This behaviour isn’t confined to casual gatherings; it can also be seen in settings where one would expect a greater sense of responsibility.

Scene 4: We now find ourselves in a five-star hotel. A crowd of well-dressed individuals in formal suits has gathered in a plush, luxurious auditorium for a National Conference on Waste Management. The morning session has concluded, and it’s time for lunch. As expected in a star hotel, a buffet is laid out. Special invitees, eminent speakers, and participants flock to the buffet tables, fill their plates, and begin eating. Yet, halfway through, the leftovers are discarded—because their plates are simply overfilled! Unbelievable? But I assure you, I’ve witnessed this happen at numerous conferences on nature and the environment.

I’ll delve deeper into this topic in my next article. Until then, have a wonderful weekend!

(The author is an environmentalist. Views personal.)