15 ways to Reduce Food Waste

Reduce Food Waste

It is essential that we all reduce food waste whether as producers, retailers or consumers. There are economic impacts as well environmental impacts  ranging from food poverty to emission of methane gas from landfills.

We can help reduce these negative impact by considering how we shop, eat and store our food. These are 15 simple ways we can reduce food waste and protect our environment.

  • Plan your meals

Plan your meals and the portions on your plate so that eat just enough and have nothing left on your plate

  • Keep fridge at the right temperature

Keep your fridge at the right temperature. The fridge should be cool enough so liquids like Milk or food with a lot of water in them keep for longer

  • Clear out your pantry

Decide a few times in a month not to do any grocery shopping but to eat what you have in your cupboards

  • Make a shopping list

Make a shopping list of all the foods you need or want. Doing this ensures you don’t go trigger happy and end buying what you don’t need.

  • Best before or use by date

Best before date and use-by date are not the same thing.  Most foods with an expired best before is thrown out while still perfectly edible.

  • Make a meal out of juice pulp.

What do you do with the pulp from the fruits and vegetables? Why not make a meal or two out of them?

  • Create a meal from leftovers

Plan your next meal based on leftovers. If you have the left over chicken curry you had with rice. You pair it days later with Roast potatoes or chips.

  • Donate food

Why not donate any excess uncooked foods items to food banks and homeless shelters

  • Composting

Food scraps should be turned into compost. Your garden or allotment will thank you.

  • Store food properly

Not all foods are created equal. Bread keeps longer out of the fridge than in the fridge. Freeze foods before its best before date.

  • Pickle or dehydrate

Large amounts of berries? Why not make jam? You can also pickle your vegetables. Dehydrate meats and fish and then hydrate to use in recipes.

  • Ugly veggies taste just as good

Buy ugly or wonky fruits or vegetables. They taste just as good, is just as nutritious and some priced lower.

  • Take home restaurant leftovers

If eating at a restaurant and you don’t finish your meal, ask to take your leftover meal home. It will probably end up in the bin if you don’t

  • Buy 1 get 1 free

Do not be tempted with supermarket offers. You will end up buying what you don’t need which will end up in the bin.

  • Buy loose

Opt for loose individual food items rather than a pack. Buy one loose tomato if one is what you need rather than a pack of 6.

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