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Insight and Environment

Tonnes of food are thrown away daily – could meal kits be the answer?

The scale of food waste is shocking, with almost 30 per cent of US food ending up in the bin. Firms like Blue Apron and HelloFresh could offer a surprising solution

By Chelsea Whyte

5 December 2018

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Meal kits offer a variety of choices, but can they address food waste

Credit Gary Burchell/Getty

FORGET the dull trudge down the supermarket aisle, and keep your thumb away from that takeaway app – there is a third option for dinner. The growing food trend is meal delivery kit services, where pre-portioned ingredients arrive in the post, ready for you to whip up into a meal at home without having to go shopping.

As well as being more convenient, firms like Blue Apron and HelloFresh make cutting down on food waste a selling point, as they only send exactly what you…

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