Agree about rethinking food waste for the majority. I’ve pretty much always used every scrap of food and rolled over bits from one meal into the next. Mainly due to being piss-poor as a child, and having very little money until into my 30’s (not much spare now, but comfortable enough by prev standards).
Grandparents did the same until they died, as habit from WW2 and rationing, as did my ddad, brought up at that time. They also grew basics like potatoes, carrots, onions, runner beans as a matter of course (and the best tasting tomatoes ever, and sweet peas in a tiny greenhouse). I can remember shortages of basics like sugar and butter at times in the 70’s. I just thought everyone was the same - and was very surprised when I went away to university to find many 18 year olds totally unable to cook, and either living on toast/instant noodles, or spending a fortune eating out/buying takeaways.
The joy, though, also as keen cook and foodie, is just what fantastic meals can be made from mainly cheap ingredients, and frugal use of the more expensive ones. I still check the reduced counter in supermarkets as I go in and before I go to the till... but have have some great bargains, most of which I am rediscovering at the bottom of the freezer now.
Interestingly, my mum also remembers rationing, but went the other way - dislikes cooking, rejoiced in the advent of the deep freeze and beige food which could be put into the oven (and later ready meals) and will chuck anything left on her plate or in the pan happily
I shudder when I hear of work colleagues who order an online shop each week, and just empty the fridge of anything in it just before their delivery arrives, regardless of whether it is still fresh or not.
Or being worried to eat - for instance - a carrot because it is a day past or even on it’s use by date. Absolutely not meaning offence to anyone who suffers from anxiety/ocd regarding food safety - just that the whole concept of a best before for a fresh vegetable which can be bought loose means we are not equipping the young to even know how to judge by appearance, smell etc.
Or- my favourite - a friend who always cooked a roast chicken for Sunday lunch for herself and dh. Neither of them liked chicken skin or dark meat, and were squeamish about bones. They took 2 or 3 good slices from each breast and just threw away the rest of a whole chicken (sobs).