How to Stop Wasting Food in Your Kitchen

Food wasting is an issue that most of us need to address. In the U.S., 150,000 tons of food is thrown away EVERY DAY! British households are discarding the equivalent of 24 meals per month. The majority of discarded food is perfectly edible.

Environmental Considerations

This food wasting is not only costing us money, but it is terrible for the environment, too. Discarded food produces greenhouse gasses as it decomposes. It also wastes the water and fossil fuels that were used to produce it, and it damages biodiversity. This is all aside from the world hunger epidemic that we are still facing.

Tips to Avoid Food Wasting

With that in mind, here are our top seven tips for making the most of your food and reducing your impact on the environment.

1. Plan Your Meals

Making a weekly meal plan will reduce food wasting because you won't be buying ingredients that you do not need. Planning ahead also saves you money and helps you to eat healthier.

2. Make the Most of Leftovers

Cook enough for two meals and eat the leftovers the next day. When you put this into your menu plan, you won't have forgotten boxes of leftovers sitting in the fridge and going bad.

3. Freeze Leftovers You Don't Plan to Use

If you accidentally make too much, freeze it straight away. Don't leave it in the fridge to be forgotten.

4. Buy Loose Fruit and Veg

Buying loose produce reduces food wasting because it ensures you only buy what you need. If you don't need a pack of ten carrots and you only need four, just buy four! This usually saves plastic, too.

5. Buy Wonky Fruit and Veg

Farmers reject so much produce BEFORE it even hits the shelves! This is because it doesn't conform to specific aesthetic standards. The food is perfectly fine to eat. Nowadays, we see more and more supermarkets offering these rejects for sale at a lower price. By buying these, you are sending a strong message to the producers that we do want to eat these ugly veggies!

6. Read the Use By Dates When You Shop

Ensure that the fresh produce you are buying will last in the fridge until you intend to use it. That way, you won't have food spoiling before you get a chance to eat it.

7. Stock Your Fridge Using FIFO

Make First In First Out your new mantra. When unpacking your shopping, move the older items to the front and store the new items at the back. This prevents food wasting by ensuring you use the older stuff first.

Reduce Food Wasting and Save Money

These habits are easy to practice, and you will be surprised at how much money you save by reducing food wasting in your home. In Britain, it is estimated that households waste £60 per month on discarded food. In America, the estimated annual cost of wasted food is $165 billion a year!

It is clear that wasted food equals wasted money. Plan, shop, and store your food smarter and put that money to better use.