Throwing food away - a sin?

[PThomson]

Would it be a sin to throw food away, not because it went bad or because I’m too full, but because I’m trying to lose weight? I can’t just not make the food in the first place, since my parents are the ones preparing it, and they wouldn’t support my diet. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed in my life right now and I feel better when I’m dieting and losing weight.

 

[pensmama87]

I would consult a doctor or nutritionist about an appropriate eating plan and whether or not weight loss should be a goal for you.

Yes, wasting food is sinful. If one forgets something accidentally in the back of the fridge, that’s one thing. But it’s not a good idea to just throw out something good. Why not pack leftovers back into the fridge?

Are you looking to deceive your parents into thinking you ate when you didn’t?

 

[PaulfromIowa]

I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed in my life right now and I feel better when I’m dieting and losing weight.

That is a troubling statement, just the kind of thing that someone with an eating disorder would say. Can you find a professional counselor to speak to? The problem would not be throwing away small amounts of food, but having a psychological or medical problem and not seeking help for it.

 

[thistle]

Would it be a sin to throw food away, not because it went bad or because I’m too full, but because I’m trying to lose weight? I can’t just not make the food in the first place, since my parents are the ones preparing it, and they wouldn’t support my diet. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed in my life right now and I feel better when I’m dieting and losing weight.

Why would you throw food away because you are on a diet. Just eat less. I’m sure you are capable of saying how much food you want on the plate they put down or better still you put what food you want on the plate yourself.

 

[Allegra]

Are you talking about throwing away an unused portion or scrap of food or throwing away your whole meal in secret because you don’t want your parents to know that you aren’t eating it? The first isn’t a sin, though if you were in charge of making meals and you noticed that not all the food was being used, you would be virtuous to alter you meal preparation plans so that extra food isn’t being wasted. However, since you aren’t making the food, that isn’t really up to you. No, you aren’t morally obligated to cram every bite on your plate into your mouth or save three greenbeans and a pizza crust for tomorrow’s lunch.

However, your description of the situation sounds a little more troubling to me. If you are taking food and then hiding it so your parents don’t know you aren’t eating it, that sounds sneaky and almost compulsive. I think you should discuss with a doctor if a diet is what you really need right now. Unless your parents are abusive nutjobs, they will support a diet under medical supervision. If what you’re doing is healthy, you shouldn’t have to hide it.

 

[PThomson]

I’m not throwing entire meals away, just bits of a meal (maybe 10-30%). My mom portions out the food for the whole family and I do ask for less ocasionally but it would look suspicious if I kept asking. They have very firm ideas on how much they think I should be eating. So yes, I toss it in secret.

It’s not a diet for my health, as my weight is healthy, just to lose some vanity pounds.

 

[pensmama87]

I’m not throwing entire meals away, just bits of a meal (maybe 10-30%). My mom portions out the food for the whole family and I do ask for less ocasionally but it would look suspicious if I kept asking. They have very firm ideas on how much they think I should be eating. So yes, I toss it in secret.

It’s not a diet for my health, as my weight is healthy, just to lose some vanity pounds.

How old are you?

If your weight is healthy I would not try to lose more. Focus on hunger. Eat until you are satisfied, then ask to pack up the rest for later. You could also offer to help your mom with cooking and serving.

I think speaking to a doctor, nutritionist, or school counselor could be helpful for you. The way you write about food reminds me of people who have disordered attitudes towards food (I put myself in that group FTR.)

 

[Beryllos]

Have you already considered trimming or eliminating snacks?

I’m in a whole different age and metabolic category than you, but I find I can lose weight or maintain healthier weight simply by skipping some (not necessarily all) snacks, and eating healthy meals with reasonable (not “diet”) portion sizes. I imagine your folks wouldn’t mind if you took that approach.

 

[GLam8833]

I throw away food as a little
sacrifice of thanks to God
for having something to eat,
I throw it away “for the Lord”.
So I don’t think it is a sin to
want to sacrifice so that you
will lose/not gain weight and
so feel better about yourself!!

 

[57classic]

I throw away food as a little
sacrifice of thanks to God
for having something to eat,
I throw it away “for the Lord”.
So I don’t think it is a sin to
want to sacrifice so that you
will lose/not gain weight and
so feel better about yourself!!

As a person who has gone hungry so her children could eat, please, please purchase food expressly for gifting to a local food bank or contact your priest and ask if there is a needy family in your area to whom you could anonymously give your sacrifices.
One year we came home from Midnight Mass to find a bag stuffed full of groceries on our porch. It made a huge difference to us and was one of the greatest and most welcome gifts I’ve ever received.

 

[tawny]

As a person who has gone hungry so her children could eat, please, please purchase food expressly for gifting to a local food bank or contact your priest and ask if there is a needy family in your area to whom you could anonymously give your sacrifices.
One year we came home from Midnight Mass to find a bag stuffed full of groceries on our porch. It made a huge difference to us and was one of the greatest and most welcome gifts I’ve ever received.

This is the time of year that our Parish Food Pantry is used the most.

 

[Herculees]

Would it be a sin to throw food away, not because it went bad or because I’m too full, but because I’m trying to lose weight? I can’t just not make the food in the first place, since my parents are the ones preparing it, and they wouldn’t support my diet. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed in my life right now and I feel better when I’m dieting and losing weight.

IF you live with your parents it probably is NOT yours to throw away.
Did YOU buy the food? IF so, it is up to you whether or not to throw it out, however,
if your parents purchased the food then you do NOT have any right to throw it away
without their explicit permission to do so!

Do you cook? If so and if your not already cooking the meals maybe you can do so? If your cooking you could make less food so there would be no leftovers, and then you would not need to determine if it is sinful to throw away food.

 

[57classic]

IF you live with your parents it probably is NOT yours to throw away.
Did YOU buy the food? IF so, it is up to you whether or not to throw it out, however,
if your parents purchased the food then you do NOT have any right to throw it away
without their explicit permission to do so!

Do you cook? If so and if your not already cooking the meals maybe you can do so? If your cooking you could make less food so there would be no leftovers, and then you would not need to determine if it is sinful to throw away food.

The OP stated in a later post that her mother dishes up the portions to those eating and that her parents have strict views on how much she should be eating. Your response presumes she has more control over this situation than it seems she does.

Other than eating what you can and saying at every meal “wow I am just stuffed, can’t eat another bite” I really don’t know what else you can do unless you can get your parents to understand that you are old enough now to fill your own plate.

 

[thistle]

I’m not throwing entire meals away, just bits of a meal (maybe 10-30%). My mom portions out the food for the whole family and I do ask for less ocasionally but it would look suspicious if I kept asking. They have very firm ideas on how much they think I should be eating. So yes, I toss it in secret.

It’s not a diet for my health, as my weight is healthy,** just to lose some vanity pounds**.

Frankly, that is stupid and can often be the first step down the road to an eating disorder.
In my opinion throwing good food away in secret for vanity reasons IS SINFUL.

Modern Catholic Dictionary:

VANITY. Or vainglory, an inordinate desire to manifest one’s own excellence. It differs from pride, which is the uncontrolled desire for self-esteem, in that vanity primarily seeks to show others what a person has or has achieved. A vain person looks for praise from others and may go to great lengths to obtain it. More commonly, vanity is associated with an exaggerated importance attached to multiple details, especially external appearances, which in no way contain the value attributed to them. It is ostentation in fashion, wealth, or power regarded as an occasion of empty pride. Thus where pride, though sinful, may have some foundation in fact for whatever one prides oneself on being or having done, vanity is the idle effort to obtain recognition or respect for what a person does not have a rightful claim to. Vanity is attributed to shams, which lack substance and are deceitful (like human praise); or to things without solidity and permanence (such as physical beauty); or to means that fail in their purpose (such as vaunting one’s own reputation). It is an inflated pride and, as such, is venially sinful.

 

[57classic]

Frankly, that is stupid

That’s pretty harsh. I get the impression this is a young person, still at home with parents who are rather controlling since the mother still fills everyone’s plates for them.

This forum gets a lot of criticism for being unwelcoming, this person has posted 12 times, total. If I were a young person reaching out for help, having come here and been treated the way some of the posters are treating her (him?) I wouldn’t come back, and would probably develop that eating disorder. The OP needs help dealing with the parents who are still filling the plates of nearly grown kids. Who does that?

 

[DarkLight]

I think the best advice here really is to consult a doctor first. If you’re being asked to eat more than you need, a doctor can approach that. The “clean your plate” approach has gotten a lot of pushback recently, as it tends to train kids to overeat. If you’re at a healthy weight and should be eating what’s provided, a doctor can weigh in on that as well.

Do you know why your mother portions out food like that? It’s a little weird, and I’m wondering what’s going on.

 

[pensmama87]

That’s pretty harsh. I get the impression this is a young person, still at home with parents who are rather controlling since the mother still fills everyone’s plates for them.

This forum gets a lot of criticism for being unwelcoming, this person has posted 12 times, total. If I were a young person reaching out for help, having come here and been treated the way some of the posters are treating her (him?) I wouldn’t come back, and would probably develop that eating disorder. The OP needs help dealing with the parents who are still filling the plates of nearly grown kids. Who does that?

If I were a parent who was concerned my child was not eating enough on purpose, I could understand that temptation. I don’t think it’s the right way to go about it, but we don’t have enough information, other than that the OP desires to diet when it’s not necessary.

That’s why I suggested a counselor, doctor, or nutritionist. Such a suggestion is not mean or cruel. If the parents are too controlling, getting outside help can help with that.

Deception and throwing out good food is not a workable long-term solution, and primes the OP for bad habits that will be hard to break.

 

[Herculees]

The OP stated in a later post that her mother dishes up the portions to those eating and that her parents have strict views on how much she should be eating. Your response presumes she has more control over this situation than it seems she does.

Other than eating what you can and saying at every meal “wow I am just stuffed, can’t eat another bite” I really don’t know what else you can do unless you can get your parents to understand that you are old enough now to fill your own plate.

I was responding to the OP initiating post. I did NOT read every persons post before posting my own so I did not know.

 

[thistle]

That’s pretty harsh. I get the impression this is a young person, still at home with parents who are rather controlling since the mother still fills everyone’s plates for them.

This forum gets a lot of criticism for being unwelcoming, this person has posted 12 times, total. If I were a young person reaching out for help, having come here and been treated the way some of the posters are treating her (him?) I wouldn’t come back, and would probably develop that eating disorder. The OP needs help dealing with the parents who are still filling the plates of nearly grown kids. Who does that?

Pussyfooting around a problem does not help anyone.

 

[TK421]

There is no such thing as vanity weight There is a certain weight range for optimal health, and if you’re a little flabby, then it is beneficial to trim it off.

Generally speaking, it’s pretty rare for a person to need to eat less, unless the person is already obese, in which case their body will give them signals for hunger even when it isn’t necessary to eat. What they need is A) to change what they eat, and B) physical activity: aerobics and/or strength training.

It isn’t explicitly sinful per se to throw food away but it should be avoided. Readjust meal plans and get a better estimate of how much you eat to reduce the burden on your wallet, or on your parent’s wallet. Eat until you’re adequately full and then stop eating. Simple as that.

Sometimes people get confused about what a normal portion meal is. I’m a 30-year-old man in peak condition and my overweight mother gives me weird looks because I haven’t porked down 3 plates of food. I eat one plate of spaghetti with some veggies on the side and a tall glass of water and then I stop eating, and she looks at me as though I’m sick or something. I don’t know why she has the idea in her head that shoveling gratuitous quantities of food down your throat is suppose to be normal, but mindsets can be hard to break. She was raised with the notorious “There are starving children in China” philosophy, which is nonsense in relation to what you should or shouldn’t eat in a given moment. Most freshly prepared meals degenerate within 1-2 weeks. If you’re full, then stop eating.

People aren’t starving in the world because there is too little food. There is a vast superabundance of food. People are starving because of infrastructure & distribution & communication.