More than three million meals have been saved and distributed to families and low-income individuals across the kingdom since the Bahrain Food Bank (BFB) was established in 2014, it has been revealed.
Since then, the Conserving Bounties Society, which operates BFB, has supported more than 3,000 families and 5,000 individuals by recovering surplus food that would otherwise have been discarded.
The figures come as the world prepares to mark International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste today. Established by the United Nations General Assembly, the day aims to raise awareness of the economic, social and environmental impact of food that is lost or wasted.
The issue is particularly relevant in Bahrain, where around 400 tonnes of food are wasted each day. This contributes to the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste sent to the Askar landfill each year, with some reports estimating that food accounts for as much as 50 per cent of the waste disposed of at the site.
Efforts to recover surplus food have also grown, with 230 tonnes saved by the society in 2025, compared with 183 tonnes in 2024.
“Food should never be treated as waste when it remains safe and suitable for consumption,” the society’s chief executive officer Thawra Al Dhaen told the GDN.
“Every day, perfectly edible food can become surplus for reasons such as overproduction, events, buffets or changes in demand. At the same time, there are families and individuals who can benefit from that food.
“The amount of edible surplus food generated in Bahrain is substantial and our capacity to rescue and redistribute this food is currently much smaller than the potential volume available.
“Since our inception in 2014, we have distributed and saved 3,147,814 meals, and during the first half of this year, we have distributed 171,254 meals.
“Our objective is to bridge the gap between food that would otherwise be wasted and people who can genuinely benefit from it, while ensuring that food safety, dignity and confidentiality are maintained throughout the process,” she added.
Ms Al Dhaen said the food is handled according to strict safety procedures, with donations collected daily and inspected at the donors’ premises to ensure they are fresh, safe and properly stored.
“The meals are then portioned and labelled before being transported directly to beneficiaries in air-chilled vehicles, with strict timelines in place to prevent spoilage and maintain food quality,” she explained.
She added that food from indoor buffet events is also accepted, provided it meets the required health and safety standards.
According to the society, the food most commonly wasted includes home-cooked meals prepared with multiple main and side dishes, restaurant meals, hotel buffet food and large quantities of Iftar meals that go undistributed.
Cultural practices can also contribute to the problem, particularly during occasions such as Ramadan, when preparing plentiful food for family and guests is often seen as a sign of hospitality.
Such practices can come at an environmental cost, with food waste contributing significantly to the unnecessary use of land, water and energy, Ms Al Dhaen said.
“When disposed of in landfills, food waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental challenges. By recovering and redistributing edible surplus food, we help conserve valuable resources, promote responsible consumption and production and contribute to healthier and more sustainable communities,” she added.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep), food loss and waste account for eight to 10 per cent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions, giving them a climate footprint roughly five times larger than that of the global aviation sector.
The Conserving Bounties Society’s work also supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production.
“As a society, we can all play a part by buying responsibly, serving appropriate portions, storing food properly and, whenever possible, donating safe surplus food rather than throwing it away,” Ms Al Dhaen said. Food is a valuable resource, and if it can still nourish someone, it should not end up in a landfill. Always remember: your excess could be someone else’s relief.”
Globally, the scale of food waste remains significant. According to the Unep’s Food Waste Index Report 2024, nearly one-fifth of all food produced each year is wasted, while the economic cost of food loss and waste is estimated at around $1 trillion (BD377 billion).
- For information about food wastage in Bahrain or to donate, contact 33499499 or visit @bahrainfoodbank on Instagram.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
Ways to Reduce waste
* Check what you already have: Check your fridge and pantry before heading to the supermarket, then plan your meals around what you already have
* Practice first-in, first-out: Move older items to the front of your fridge or pantry so you can use them first.
* Freeze extra food: Freeze bread, meat, sliced fruit or cooked portions if you cannot use them before they spoil.
* Get creative with leftovers: Set aside one night a week as a ‘use-it-up’ meal to clear out leftovers. You can also turn overripe fruit into smoothies and vegetable scraps into homemade soup stock.
* Compost what you cannot eat: Set up a compost bin for unavoidable organic scraps such as coffee grounds, eggshells and fruit peels. Composting turns food waste into nutrient-rich soil for gardens instead of sending it to landfill.
&uuid=(email))