Food Waste
Communities and organisations across Bristol are taking practical steps to cut food waste, share surplus, and find new ways to make the most of what we have.
At University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Trust (UHBW), ongoing work is focusing on optimising portion sizes to better meet the diverse needs of patients, ensuring meals are both nutritious and appropriately sized to reduce waste.
As part of this effort, UHBW took part in NHS England’s Blue vs White Plate Study, a two-month trial exploring how plate colour and design affect food consumption and waste. The study found that blue plates, heavier, more heat-retentive, and reminiscent of home dining, led to a 21.7% increase in empty plates and a 68.5kg reduction in plate waste. The findings suggest that something as simple as plate design can make a meaningful difference in hospital food waste reduction.
Beyond healthcare settings, community composting projects across the city, such as Generation Soil and Heart of BS13, continue to do incredible work in transforming food waste into a valuable resource for growing and community wellbeing. These initiatives show how Bristol’s approach to food waste embraces the full cycle: from plate to soil, and back to plate again.
