Tackling your food waste to protect the environment and save money
Food waste is a key contributor to climate change that's often overlooked and not discussed. 30% of all food is wasted globally. Food waste accounts for 10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. If food waste was a country, it would be third (after the USA and China) in terms of its’ contribution to climate change! Reducing your food waste is essential if you are searching for ways to live a greener life.
Here are 20 ways you can reduce your food waste:
1. Stock take - Check the cupboards/fridge to see what you have
2. Plan it - Plan a few evening meals, ideally using up what you have in stock first
3. Shopping List - Make a shopping list before you hit the shops
4. Eat before you shop – Going to the supermarket hungry is lethal!
5. Smart Shopping – only avail an offer if it’s something you eat a lot
6. “Eat me” – Use a clear box/container in your fridge for “eat me soon” food
7. Store it – A good rule is to store food the same way as it was in the supermarket when you bought it. If it was in the fridge, put it in your fridge. If it was out on a shelf, store it in your cupboards
8. Clearly – Always try to use clear containers to store food, so you don’t forget about it. Jam jars, clear takeaway containers, etc. are excellent for food storage and prevent odours in your fridge
9. Cook it – When food is about to expire cook it e.g. fruit + sugar = jam, Veg + stock = soup. You get the idea!
10. Freeze it – Don’t have time to cook? Pop it in the freezer before it goes off. Freeze leftover meals in single portions for easy defrosting
11. Label it – Always label and date food when you put it in the fridge or freezer. Brown paper tape and a sharpie work well.
12. Cheese - grate it, freeze it and use for pizzas, sauces, toasties, etc.
13. Bread – for bread that’s gone a bit hard, dampen it and put it in the oven for 10mins. Freeze sliced bread and use for toast
14. Banana power - Keep bananas away from other fruit and veg as they make everything ripen faster
15. Tubers - Store your potatoes, onions & garlic in a cool, dark place
16. Cube it - Leftover herbs can be put in ice trays, topped up with water and frozen for using later
17. Entertaining - Use an online portion planner so that you don’t have too much waste food
18. Share it – sharing leftovers is a great idea if possible
19. Eating out – Always ask for a “doggie bag” if you have any leftovers
20. Compost it – If you do have food waste, be sure to put it in the brown bin
ns!
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