If you want to know whether a habit is helping, start by noticing what happens before you change it. A simple kitchen log can be more useful than a polished impact score.
Choose a consistent starting point
Over a defined baseline period, record discarded food by weight. Keep the categories consistent—for example, distinguish edible leftovers from inedible peelings. Record missing days instead of treating them as zero.
Change one habit
Try a use-first shelf or check your inventory before shopping. Repeat measurements over an equal-length period. Note guests, travel and changes in how often you eat at home.
Separate activity from outcomes
Logging 500 grams as eaten is a record of food used. It does not prove 500 grams would otherwise have been wasted. A before-and-after difference is informative but does not, by itself, establish causation.
Use the result to learn
A higher number isn’t a moral failure. It may show an unusually busy week or a measurement difference. Look for repeated patterns and one practical adjustment.
Read our mathematical methods and evaluation proposal for the formula and its limitations.
General information only. Always follow packaging, local food-safety guidance and your individual dietary requirements.