As the Holy month of Ramadan approaches in Jordan, food, once again, moves to the center of daily life, markets grow busier, household spending rises, and acts of generosity become more visible across society, yet behind this familiar rhythm lies a paradox worth pausing over, Jordan wastes food worth billions of dinars every year, at a time when a large segment of the population lives under or near the poverty line, struggling to meet basic needs, estimates indicate that nearly one million tonnes of food are wasted annually, with a value exceeding two billion dinars, while hundreds of thousands of families continue to face poverty and food insecurity, these two realities are often discussed from separate angles, rarely addressed through a single behavioral lens.

 

Food waste does not stem from neglect or indifference, it is the product of entrenched consumption habits, social expectations, and imperfect planning, generosity is frequently expressed through abundance, while decisions about cooking and purchasing are made in isolation from the actual reality of need or the circumstances of others who may be struggling, behavioral science helps explain why this gap persists, when decisions are detached from their social context, waste can continue even in societies rich in goodwill, this is where the blessed month of Ramadan matters, not because it changes values, but because it brings everyday decisions closer to their human and social meaning.

 

The response begins with awareness, but not in its conventional form, the challenge is not a lack of knowledge about poverty or waste, but how generosity itself is directed, a significant share of household resources is spent on excess food that goes uneaten, while support for those in need is treated as a separate or secondary act, what is needed is awareness that encourages a reconsideration of how generosity is channeled, recognizing that part of what is allocated to food can be redirected in ways that are more effective and more responsive to real need.

 

The holy month offers a unique opportunity to redraw the boundary between feeding and giving, by encouraging families to plan meals more realistically and intentionally allocate a defined portion of their food budget to direct monetary donations, waste can be reduced before it occurs, monetary giving is flexible and immediate, allowing families in need to prioritize their most urgent requirements, it also eases the social pressure many households feel to demonstrate generosity through excess cooking, from a behavioral perspective, this approach reframes moderation not as deprivation, but as a deliberate and purposeful choice.

 

Even with better planning, some surplus food will inevitably remain, this brings us to the second stage, shifting redistribution from an exception into a norm, international experience has shown that when large retailers are required to redirect edible surplus food to charitable organizations instead of discarding it, behavior changes fundamentally, donation becomes the default pathway rather than a sporadic voluntary act, leading to a tangible reduction in waste and improved access to food for vulnerable groups, at the community level, neighborhood based models have also proven effective, with designated collection points that allow households to deliver excess food easily, while local organizations or specialized companies handle organized distribution, in such systems, redistribution evolves from an individual improvised effort into a familiar collective practice, reducing waste without reliance on moral pressure.

 

These two stages reinforce one another, conscious spending limits unnecessary surplus, while normalized redistribution ensures that unavoidable excess reaches those who need it, in doing so, generosity shifts from a symbolic gesture into an effective and socially aligned practice.

 

Linking food waste to poverty is not about invoking guilt, it is about drawing attention to a gap between what we have and what is needed, in a country with limited resources and uneven needs, redirecting even a small fraction of wasted value can ease the burden on families, strengthen food security efforts, and reinforce social cohesion, the blessed month of Ramadan offers a rare opportunity to bridge this gap, not through sermons or moral appeals, but by aligning compassion with daily behavior and making the more effective choice the easier one.

 

Zaid K. Maaytah – Researcher in Economics and Behavioral