Glorious marvellous food
Do you love food and hate wasting it? Read on as your are in the right page. Read on to understand how to reduce food waste everyday.
Food is a human right, a necessity of life and brings joy to our mundane lives. Food we eat nourishes, strengthens and also defines us! What we eat, how we eat and when we eat all vary depending on our culture and upbringing.
Eating a 4 course home cooked Indian meal fills my belly and my heart. I am sure you feel the same way about the food you grew up with or have fond associations with. It is soul nourishing. So, here’s my conundrum? If it’s so important, why do we waste it?
What is food waste?
Food waste is any food that is intended for human consumption but is not eaten. Food waste can happen at any stage of the food supply chain, from the farm to the table. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, about one-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year is wasted. This is approximately 1.3 billion tonnes that gets lost or wasted.
Food waste has negative impacts on the environment, economy, food security and nutrition. For example, food waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, water scarcity, land degradation, deforestation and biodiversity loss.
Where is this food waste coming from?
Food waste is generated by supermarkets, restaurants & , catering companies. But, 70% of food waste is generated by households. So what are we wasting? Right from salad to fruits & vegetables and bread, we throw away perfectly edible food because we don’t store them correctly or we have misconceptions about when the food is considered inedible.
Why are we wasting food?
According to a market survey, some of the main reasons people throw food away are:
- 74% of people didn’t write a shopping list when they went shopping.
- 35% didn’t plan their meals.
- 24% didn’t know what was in the fridge before they went to the supermarket.
Top 3 impacts because of food waste
Eco news: Water consumption
When we waste food, we also waste water. A significant amount of water is required to grow and produce food. Read this well written article on this topic from InSinkerator. And read this blog for how to reduce your water consumption – 7 amazing ways to save water at home
How to reduce food waste?
4 simple steps, but has a profound impact on your eco footprint.
1
Plan your meals
2
Make a list
3
Store it right
4
Cook & freeze
One. Plan your meals
- Work out your weekly shopping day. Or maybe it's twice a month. week? In my home, Wednesday is the chosen day.
- Plan your cooking for the same day as your shopping day if possible or cook most things definitely by the next day.
Why does this matter? Having a schedule makes life easier. And cooking when your fruit & veg is still fresh will lock in the nutrients.
Two. Make your list
- Before you go shopping, make a list. Your meal planning will obviously help you to figure out what you need to buy.
- Remember to take your shopping list with you when you go shopping. Have a shopping list app, if the paper list proves difficult.
- Stick to the shopping list when you are in the shop.
Why does this matter? Impulse buying or going shopping when you are hungry makes you buy things you don’t need.
Three. Store it right
- If you have cooked food leftover, wrap it and store it.
- Check instructions on how to store every food item you buy. Not everything goes in the fridge.
- Don't forget the items at the back of the shelf. Keep checking what you have & use them up.
Why does this matter? Foods stored incorrectly can go bad or worse make you ill.
Eco tip: Plastic free food wraps
Wrap your food with beeswax wraps. This naturally anti bacterial wax will help keep your food fresh for longer. This is one excellent ways to reduce food waste
Four. Cook & freeze
- Cook in large batches. The quantity will depend on the size of your freezer, your grocery budget & the size of your family.
- Measure out how much you need for each meal and freeze as portions in separate boxes.
- Unfreeze the portions as needed through the week.
How does this help? It’s definitely cheaper to cook in larger quantities and eating healthy through the week becomes easier. Batch cooking will definitely save you time & money.
So, go and save yourself some cash and make yourself a nutrient packed meal! Yum! Drop a comment below if you are have any further ways to reduce food waste or if you are going to implement some of these ideas.
How to reduce food waste - further reading
- Love Food Hate Waste - a great website full of ideas and recipes to help you reduce your waste
- change4life smart recipes - A great meal planning app which also helps you find new recipes. You get cooking instructions & create your shopping list. The shopping list also gives you information on which aisle you will find your items in when you go shopping. Magic!
- OLIO - the food sharing app is a great way to share food you don't need.
- Find your local food bank - Food banks will accept food that within it's use by date & some foodbanks will also take fresh produce.
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