In the United States, we throw away about 40 percent of the food we buy.
Reducing food waste doesn’t have to be difficult. With a little bit of planning and effort, you can easily cut down on the amount of food you throw away each week. Here are seven tips to help you get started:
1. Make a list before you shop
One of the best ways to reduce food waste is to plan your meals in advance and make a shopping list. This way, you’ll only buy the ingredients you need and are less likely to impulse-buy items that will end up going bad.
2. Store food properly
Proper food storage is key to preventing waste. Be sure to check the expiration dates on your food and put perishables in the fridge or freezer as soon as you get home from the store.
3. Use leftovers
Instead of letting leftovers go to waste, get creative and use them in a new dish. For example, if you have some extra cooked chicken, you can use it to make a chicken salad or add it to a soup or pasta dish.
4. Compost
Composting is a great way to reduce food waste and help your garden grow. Food scraps that can be composted include fruit and vegetable peelings, eggshells, coffee grounds, and more.
5. Donate
If you have non-perishable food that you know you won’t eat, consider donating it to a local food bank or shelter.
6. Shop your own pantry
Before you head to the store, take inventory of what you already have on hand. You may be surprised to find that you have everything you need to make a meal, without having to buy anything new.
7. Plan for leftovers
When cooking, make extra food so that you have leftovers for another meal. This is a great way to save time and money, and reduce food waste.
Common Questions Roundup:
1. What is the best way to reduce food waste?
2. What should you do with leftovers?
3. What can you compost?
4. How can you tell if food is expired?
5. Why is it important to plan your meals?
6. What are some creative ways to use leftovers?
7. What should you do if you have food that you won’t eat?
8. What is the best way to store food?
9. How can you take inventory of what you have on hand?
10. Why is it a good idea to cook extra food?
Answers to common questions:
1. The best way to reduce food waste is to plan your meals, so that you only buy and cook what you will actually eat.
2. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
3. You can compost fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells.
4. You can tell if food is expired by checking the expiration date on the package.
5. Planning your meals helps to reduce food waste because you can make sure you are only buying and cooking what you will actually eat.
6. You can use leftovers to make soups, stews, casseroles, or sandwiches.
7. If you have food that you won’t eat, you can donate it to a food bank or soup kitchen.
8. The best way to store food is in airtight containers in the fridge or freezer.
9. You can take inventory of what you have on hand by making a list of all the food in your fridge, freezer, and pantry.
10. It is a good idea to cook extra food because you can then use the leftovers for another meal.
Tl;dr
Reducing food waste can be achieved by doing something as simple as making a list before going food shopping, to more complex methods such as composting.