How to reduce your food waste

Wasting less, eating better and adopting a sustainable lifestyle are key to building a world free of hunger. For example, Apps can connect neighbours with each other and with local businesses so surplus food can be shared, not thrown away. If you don’t eat everything you make, freeze it for later or use the leftovers as an ingredient in another meal. In fact, worldwide, tonnes of edible food are lost or wasted every day.

Repurpose Foods That Are “Tired,” Not Spoiled

Many creative applications for stocks and soups exist, such as using a chicken carcass to make a chicken broth. While you can whizz up stale bread into breadcrumbs for later use. A search online will reveal many more simple ways to ensure the food you might otherwise have thrown away finds a useful application. Keeping your fridge clutter-free also helps you to see what items are available and inspire you for enjoyable meals. Simply keeping ready-to-eat foods at the front of the fridge can prevent them from going bad at the back.

Store Open Packages in Containers

Opt for reusable alternatives like cloth bags, water bottles, and metal straws. Compost food scraps, recycle properly, and buy products with minimal packaging to minimize waste. While meal planning and list-making are powerful tools, they’re not foolproof. Don’t plan elaborate meals every night if reddit.com your schedule is packed.

Compost What’s Left

These habits ensure food is consumed, not forgotten, making every grocery trip count. Buying loose produce instead of pre-packaged items is a straightforward way to reduce waste. When you choose apples, carrots, or spinach without the plastic wrapping, you avoid the unnecessary packaging that often ends up in landfills. A study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that containers and packaging make up nearly 30% of municipal solid waste in the U.S. By opting for loose items, you’re not only cutting down on plastic but also encouraging stores to stock more unpackaged goods, creating a ripple effect in sustainable shopping habits.

How to Create a Zero Waste Grocery Routine

Store potatoes with an apple to help them stay in good condition for up to twice as long. Dried beans are cheaper by volume, easier to stack in large amounts, and more shelf stable than canned beans. Buying this nutritious and versatile staple in bulk also reduces the cost to pennies per serving.

Tips to Keep Your Fridge Organized

Opt for reusable or recyclable wrapping materials like cloth, newspaper, or brown paper. Choose experiences or digital gifts instead of physical items, and support local artisans or second-hand shops to minimize packaging and promote sustainability. Natural materials like twine, jute, or hemp provide an organic alternative to plastic ribbons. Combine these with elements from your backyard—think eucalyptus sprigs, holly leaves, or even pressed flowers—to create a rustic, seasonal aesthetic. For a minimalist look, wrap gifts in plain paper secured with twine and a single sprig of rosemary or lavender. Not only do these materials decompose easily, but they also infuse the gift with a sensory experience, engaging both sight and scent.

Know Which Fruits to Refrigerate or Store on the Counter

“Because you’ll just end up over-purchasing, which leads to more potential food waste. Those pesky hunger pangs might convince you to impulse-buy unhealthy snacks or ingredients you don’t really need. To help reduce food waste before you even start cooking, make sure you’ve fueled up on a good meal before pursuing the supermarket aisles. From planning more consciously to storing food strategically, reducing waste is one of the simplest ways to spend less while eating well. With guidance from chefs, a registered dietitian, and a https://www.wwf.org.uk/better-basket sustainability expert, we have compiled a list of practical ways to use more, waste less, and save money.

Buy loose produce instead of pre-packaged items to cut packaging waste

While cooking, we usually need whole spices in small portions, so it might feel (almost) normal to throw out leftover spices after cooking. Instead, chop up these spices, and put them in an airtight container to make stock with or cook another time. Or blend them with tomatoes or coconut oil for a base for curries you can freeze in small portions to add to fresh produce later. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), only 60% of America’s food ends up actually being eaten. All the food scraps and spoiled fruit and veg we throw out, multiplied by millions of homes, continue to riddle our planet with methane gas. Food waste is a global issue and a major contributor to environmental degradation.

• You have schedules and habits, and you’re just trying to get through the day, hopefully with a few moments to spare.
• I think the thing that’s often discarded, which I always keep and freeze, is the skin from onion.
• Rather than shop for everything every trip, consider shifting to one or two pantry shops per month.
• Encouraging customers to bring their own containers for take-out helps reduce packaging waste.
• It also comes during the global COVID-19 pandemic, that has brought about a wake-up call on the need to transform and rebalance the way our food is produced and consumed.
• Cloud storage solutions such as Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive eliminate the need for physical filing cabinets, reducing clutter and the risk of lost documents.

Compost egg shells, rinds, peels, and more

Similarly, beeswax wraps, a reusable alternative to plastic cling film, can be washed and reused for up to a year. By choosing reusables, you’re not just cutting down on waste—you’re also reducing the demand for plastic production, which relies heavily on fossil fuels. This dual benefit makes the switch a win-win for both your household and the planet. Try our low-waste recipes, which transform leftovers and get the most out of your ingredients – helping save you money, too.

“FIFO” stands for “first in, first out” and is a useful way to organize food at home. Many restaurants and grocery stores use this system to reduce waste, too. In conclusion, donating unused clothes, books, and supplies is a straightforward yet impactful way to reduce waste at home and school. By making donation a habit, individuals and institutions can significantly decrease their environmental footprint while supporting their communities. With minimal effort and a bit of organization, what might have been thrown away can instead find new life, proving that one person’s excess can indeed be another’s essential.

Maintain a List of Stored Food

Regularly audit recycling bins to identify recurring issues and adjust training accordingly. Find your local zero-waste store by searching online, while some health food shops also have refill stations for dry goods. For example, an increasing number of brands now sell products in cardboard boxes with very little or no plastic. You may need to shop around to find them, but they are out there. Here are 10 tried-and-tested tips to help you cut out single-use plastics.