Leftovers: A History of Food Waste and Preservation

In Leftovers, Eleanor Barnett explores the ingenious ways the British have extended the life of food through preservation, reuse of leftovers, and recycling of scraps. A Cambridge PhD and Leverhulme research fellow who shares food history as @historyeats on Instagram, Barnett uses food as a lens to examine both daily life and broader cultural processes.

Her historical scope is broad, spanning from Tudor household management to contemporary sustainability concerns. The book reveals how religious belief, class, and gender have shaped attitudes toward food waste across centuries.

Barnett draws on vivid details: 16th century instructions for pie making, records showing that Shakespeare's father was fined for throwing animal waste into the street, and Mrs. Beeton's advice on recognizing meat on the verge of putrefaction but still “comestible.”

Moving through the Industrial Revolution's innovations in food preservation, Victorian public health initiatives, and promotion of thrifty eating during both World Wars, Barnett connects past practices to contemporary global issues of climate change, poverty, and inequality.

Hardcover. Black-and-white photos and line drawings.