Lebanese meal management practices and cultural constructions of food waste

Abstract

Food waste is a global issue with major environmental and socio-economic implications. The problem is even worse in Arab countries where tremendous amounts of food are wasted everyday. In this study, we engaged in an ethnographic journey documenting meal management practices in rural Lebanese households as they relate to food waste. We interviewed 60 women from the Chahhar region (closest communities to the nation's largest landfill) who are in charge of their households' food management. We kept detailed reflexive notes of observations and photo-journaled the provision, preparation, preservation, consumption, and disposal of food. We found that despite the enormity of the food waste crisis in Lebanon, the environmental impact was strikingly absent from the participants' construction of food-related practices. Yet, the women exhibited a strong food waste averse behavior rooted in cultural norms and religious beliefs built on active avoidance of food waste. Our findings shed the light on the intricate connections of family and community routines anchored in frugality and hospitality practices.

Keywords: Arab world; Food consumption; Food management; Food preservation; Lebanon; Waste management.