Leftovers

A History of Food Waste and Preservation

By: Eleanor Barnett

Write A Review

Paperback | 6 March 2025

At a Glance

Paperback
352 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
19.8 x 12.9 x 2.54

Paperback

$32.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $8.19 with

Ships in 10 to 15 business days

A topical and richly entertaining history of food preservation and food waste in Britain from the sixteenth-century kitchen to the present day.

âBingeableâ â" The Telegraph
âA book for our timeâ â" The Spectator
â[Barnettâs] an indefatigable researcherâ â" The Mail on Sunday

In Leftovers, Eleanor Barnett explores the many ingenious ways in which our ancestors sought to extend the life of food through preservation, the culinary reuse of leftovers and the recycling of food scraps. Embracing a broad historical lens, the book spans Tudor household management; the world-changing inventions in food preservation of the Industrial Revolution from the tin can to artificial refrigeration; the growth of public health initiatives and organised food waste collection in the Victorian era; state promotion of thrifty eating during the two World Wars; and the politics of food and packaging waste in the modern era of sustainability.

Opening a window on the everyday experiences of ordinary people in the past, Leftovers reveals how factors such as religious belief, class identities and gender have historically shaped attitudes towards food waste. At a time when a third of the food we produce globally is wasted, Leftovers links its central historical focus to humanitarian and environmental issues of urgent contemporary interest - including climate change, globalisation, scientific advancement, poverty and inequality.

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.