Most of us are guilty of wasting food. It’s not that we plan to but it happens regularly and there is always some food well past the expiration date in the fridge. We can, however, take action to prevent it from happening. Here are five tips to help you reduce food waste at home.
Make a meal plan
Inspire yourself with recipes from cook books and create a meal plan for the week. Plan which days you are going to eat in and which days out. With this meal plan, it will be much easier for you to come up with a shopping list that ensures you will not miss out a single ingredient or end up buying too many groceries. And remember, never go grocery shopping when you are hungry!
Learn to label
Picking up this habit goes a long way as you will never have forgotten food items that go to waste at the back of your fridge anymore. All you need is a roll of masking tape and a marker. Labelling the food item and its expiration date reminds your family members what can be eaten and what needs to be cleared. Also, remember to organise your fridge. Easily spoilt food such as fruits should be visible and accessible.
Leftovers do not belong to the trash
Always pack your leftovers and freeze them as it keeps them fresh for a longer period of time. You can then have these leftovers for the following meal or when time is running short to cook a proper meal.
Cut and store
If you’re the kind of person who buys fresh produce but gets too lazy to actually cut them when it’s time to cook and just ends up throwing them away as they go bad, do it the moment you get home from the grocery store. By cutting them up and storing them somewhere you can see, you are then more likely to eat them. This is especially true for fresh fruits. With this, you would be one step closer to healthy living!
Have a plan B
Studies have shown that most food wastage comes from buying ingredients to cook that one single dish which you never end up cooking. So if you’re thinking of cooking that delicious Thai green curry, think of an alternative recipe using the same ingredients just in case you change your mind.
Taking on these good habits not only helps to prevent food waste, but it also saves money and ensures that the food you eat remains fresh. And it is never too late to start!
