An Indian CEO has sparked a wider conversation on food waste after sharing a deeply personal habit she follows while travelling by air. Taking to LinkedIn, Anshu Bhartia wrote about what happens to untouched food served on flights and how she decided to respond to it in her own quiet way.
“When I’m served a meal on a flight, there are always some items I don’t consume — yoghurt, buns, butter, the sandwich. Like many of us, I used to quietly leave them untouched on the tray. But it bothered me every time I did that,” she wrote. Bhartia explained that when she checked with cabin crew, she was told that unopened food returning on trays usually ends up in the garbage. “Perfectly good food. Most likely straight to landfills or a waste processor,” she added.
Over time, she made a small personal rule. “If it’s sealed, safe, and untouched, I put it in my handbag and hand it over at the first opportunity to someone who might appreciate it.”
An awkward start and an unexpected connection
Bhartia admitted that the practice initially made her uncomfortable. “I’ll be honest — in the beginning, I felt awkward. Worried people would judge me for stuffing buns into my handbag, I’d do it quietly, hoping no one noticed,” she wrote.
{{/usCountry}}Bhartia admitted that the practice initially made her uncomfortable. “I’ll be honest — in the beginning, I felt awkward. Worried people would judge me for stuffing buns into my handbag, I’d do it quietly, hoping no one noticed,” she wrote.
{{/usCountry}}That hesitation faded during a recent flight when she struck up a conversation with a fellow passenger and discovered that both were travelling after losing someone they loved. “Maybe it was the shared vulnerability,” she wrote, describing how both passengers openly collected unopened food. With help from a smiling crew member and a newspaper turned into a paper bag, they divided the items and left the aircraft “with a sense of purpose”.
Calling for mindful choices
Bhartia said she has often felt like standing up mid flight to urge others to take sealed food with them and give it to someone in need. While she admitted she may never do that, she used her post to float the idea of airlines issuing gentle messages encouraging responsible choices within food safety rules. She also wondered whether the Directorate General of Civil Aviation could explore such initiatives.
“For me this isn’t about bypassing compliance,” she wrote. “A sealed bun or yoghurt that ends up in your bag rather than the bin can make someone’s day. It takes 30 seconds. And it costs nothing.”
Take a look here at the post:
Online reactions pour in
The post has garnered several reactions on LinkedIn. One user wrote, “Noble thought but this might be unpopular: don’t give food, always give cash.” Another commented, “Thought is superb indeed. But the courage and will to make this happen is even more impressive and inspiring.” A third said, “I do this as well. Cannot waste.” One user shared, “We have done this as a family, forever. Someone, anyone, eating the food is so much better than dumping it.” Another added, “I too do it. Mostly sandwiches, small butter packets.” A sixth reaction read, “This is individual mindfulness at its best.” Yet another comment noted, “Small actions like these can quietly change habits.”
HT.com has reached out to Bhartia. The copy will be updated when a response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)