A recent study (“Wasted positive intentions: the role of affection and abundance on household food waste“) has drawn a connection between affection and food waste.

The study interviewed 20 participants in Brazil and found that caregivers typically express affection by providing large amounts of food to children and guests. Over-serving food and keeping a stocked fridge for any occasion is an important part of Brazilian cultural, according to the study’s author, Gustavo Porpino. This is especially true for mothers, who often “do everything they can to fit the traditional role of a ‘good mother'”. However, as this study has found, despite the caregiver’s best intentions this behavior can result in wasted food and therefore, wasted money.

In order to reduce food waste, Porpino suggests that people be educated on the link between wasted food and wasted money. Programs on how to properly buy, store and portion food would also prove beneficial for families, who would save money while reducing food waste.

Read more about the study here, and a summary as discussed on CTV News here.