5 Easy Ways to Reduce Food Waste in Your Kitchen

 

Do you struggle with food wastage in your home? Are you feeling guilty about how much you throw away? Don’t worry, there are some simple things you can change in your lifestyle that will help you reduce how much food ends up in landfill.

Here are 5 easy ways to reduce how much food goes in the bin.

 

1. Plan ahead!

 

 

One of the simplest ways to prevent food waste is to plan your meals ahead of time. Before going out to do your grocery run:

• Walk around the kitchen and check what you already have in your fridge and pantry.
• Plan your meals for the week based on what needs to be used up. Set aside 20 minutues to do this, trust me you’ll thank yourself later!
• Make a shopping list using your meal plan and stick to it to avoid buying extra things that might go to waste.

This is going to help you reduce food waste, AND save you precious time and money.

 

2. Store Food Properly

 

 

This is a big one many overlook. Improper storage is a major cause of food spoilage. Different foods require different storage conditions:

• Store fruits and vegetables properly to extend their freshness, for example:
  • keep potatoes and onions separate, these two do not get along!
  • refrigerate leafy greens in an airtight container lined with paper towels
  • Berries, grapes, apples and pears do great in the fridge
• Use airtight containers to keep dry goods fresher for longer.
• Did you know that you can even freeze perishable items like bread, fruits, and leftovers before they go bad.

By storing food in the best way, you can increase its shelf life and reduce spoilage.

 

3. Use a “First In, First Out” System

 

Organizing your fridge and pantry can help stop food from going bad. Try the First In, First Out method:

• Put the older food in front of the newer food, this way you will use the older food first.
• Move soon-to-expire items to the front.
• Label any leftovers with dates so you remember to eat them before they spoil.

This simple habit makes it easier to keep track of your food and reduce unnecessary waste.

 

4. Get Creative with Leftovers

 

 

Instead of throwing away leftovers or food scraps, find amazing ways to repurpose them:

• Blend overripe bananas into smoothies or use them for baking. (Banana bread, banana pancakes, banana muffins.. the list goes on..)
• Use vegetable scraps to make homemade broth.
• Toss those leftover cooked veggies into stir-fries, soups, or wraps, or an interesting omelette.
• Use stale bread for croutons, breadcrumbs, or French toast.

Maximise your food to its full potential and reduce that waste.

 

5. Compost leftover scraps

 

 

Composting is a superb way to recycle food scraps. It feeds our plants and trees, encouraging biodiversity and reduces landfill waste. You can compost:

• Fruit and vegetable peels
• Coffee grounds and tea bags
• Eggshells
• Leftover grains and bread
• Paper

Some things that you SHOULD not compost are:

• Meat, fish, diary, oil and fats, citrus peels

To learn more about composting, check out this Composting 101 Guide.

 

To sum it up..

With a bit of conscious planning, you can reduce the food wasted in your household. These small changes will help protect the environment and reduce the amount of waste deposited on landfill sites. And also save you money.