Simple Ways to Reduce Food Waste and Save Money
'06.01.2022'
Source: The Penny Hoarder
Have you ever wondered what happens to the food you throw away? That's right, she goes to the trash can, and then she is never remembered. These thrown away residues add up to alarming numbers - in the United States, from 30 to 40% of all food is thrown away annually. Here's why it's bad and how to reduce food waste.
How serious is the problem of food waste?
According to Dana Ganders, a former senior research fellow at the National Council for the Conservation of Natural Resources and author of a book on organizing home cooking without waste, food waste can seem like a small thing - many people don't even realize how much food is going into the trash can. The Penny Hoarder.
“Consumers are throwing away more food than restaurants or grocery stores,” Gunders says. "And the average family of four spends about $ 1800 on food they never eat."
A huge third of ALL products grown for human consumption on Earth is wasted.
“Growing food and bringing it to our tables is a huge investment in resources,” said Gunders. "When you throw away one hamburger, it is like taking a 90-minute shower in terms of the amount of water needed to make that hamburger."
Among other things, resource consumption is also a problem for future generations, as discarded food accumulates in landfills. Also try to imagine how much money and groceries you will save by buying only the food you actually eat? Ganders argues that being mindful of this issue actually helps you spend less.
Here's what to do.
1. Make a shopping list and stick to it
More shopping means more waste. Planning meals for the week, making a list, and staying on top of it will limit impulsive purchases and cut back on trash. What's more, try planning how else to use the product (for example, if you need half a parsley for a dish, think about where else to use the other half, or freeze it).
2. Buy frozen, not fresh
The bright appearance of fresh fruits and vegetables looks tempting, but think about how quickly they can deteriorate. Ganders recommends filling the freezer rather than the fridge. Fast freeze products are as useful as fresh and stored better.
3. Plan for impromptu
Happy hours and surprise dinners with friends? Better to be expected. Plan for these probabilities ahead of time - for example, cook with the food you always have in the fridge or keep frozen food in the freezer.
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4. Review shelf life
The timing of the sale, the recommended use and the end use are two different things. More often than not, these dates serve as an indicator of freshness or quality, rather than a marker of when the food will actually go bad. Many people throw out perfectly fit food because of the date stamps. Use common sense and find out what the date really means on your packaged or canned food before you throw it away.
5. Freeze yourself
You can extend the life of meats, breads and vegetables by freezing them. You can put almost anything in the freezer - milk, grated cheese, sliced bread, and even raw eggs without shells.
6. Keep food where you can see it.
Out of sight, out of mind? This doesn't work in the case of food. Store food where you can see it - this increases the chances that you will use it. Learn how to store vegetables; some ripen and spoil faster, and can also speed up others. Use sealed containers.
7. Clean the fridge and organize the pantry
When everything is in order in your refrigerator and pantry, you are more likely to see foods that start to deteriorate, and you will also eat something that does not have time to spoil.
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8. Try composting
Discard the landfill and start composting. Almost everything - from coffee grounds to celery stalks - can be used for compost and the next year as fertilizer in your garden.
9. Learn to preserve
This practice has existed for centuries and helps preserve food during periods of severe winters and economic crises. In addition, canning significantly reduces food waste and your costs.
10. Donate surplus food
If you know that your family will not exactly eat the stored foods, donate them. Someone uses the services of food banks, but first of all Gander recommends thinking about friends or families in the neighborhood who might need some extra food. Some organizations have limitations, examine them before giving away products.
11. Eat what you buy
Plan recipes based on what you already have and what you need to spend before the expiration date ends. Again, keeping you clean and tidy in the refrigerator and pantry will help you.
12. Mix leftovers
The remaining food, which is already fed up, can be used in new recipes. Some overripe fruits and vegetables can be used in casseroles and pies. Ripe bananas make excellent bread or biscuits, and softened strawberries can be added to smoothies.
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13. Make dinner for friends and family
Sometimes each housewife cooks too much or buys ingredients that she doesn’t like too much in ready-made dishes. But there are always people who love you do not like salad or cake. Invite friends and family to visit, have dinner together. Offer to bring your own annoying products and cook together. A win-win.
14. Install the application
There are several applications that are trying to influence the global problem of food waste.
- USDA FoodKeeper helps to understand the storage of food and beverages.
- Too good to go shows which restaurant can get the excess food before they are thrown away.
- Waste No Food helps food companies donate surplus food to charities and shelters.
15. Use leftover food in the works
Have you ever thought about drawing with food? Imagine how bright the leftovers of food - beets, spinach, lemons - will look on a fabric canvas. And this is not a joke, search the Internet for how to use leftover food for creativity.
16. Life is a garden
Many residues can be used for re-cultivation. Try to germinate seeds in a cup or directly in the ground, root the stems and leaves of green plants.
