Hoorah! Holidays! Feast feast feast!
As we’re celebrating Christmas and New Year, we often want to eat fancily and have dinner tables full of food….which subsequently leads to a problem: Food waste!In a world where almost 1 out of 7 people goes to bed hungry, this kind of waste is a criminal.
So talking about food waste… in general, there are various causes of food waste and it happens on different stages; production, processing, and also consumption. All actors in the food chain have a role to prevent and reduce food waste; from those who produce foods (such as farmers), those who make foods available (food retailers), and ultimately consumers!
So as consumers that also causes this problem, we should start to re-think and re-act to be part of the solution. There are actually lots of small steps that we can do to prevent food waste; whether when we’re doing groceries at shops or cooking at home.
1.Smart shopping.
Before heading to the market, you can plan your menu and make grocery list first. By doing this, you will likely avoid buying things that you don’t need. You can also use mobile apps to help you organize your meals. There are several handy apps for your gadget such as cooksmarts, pepperplate, mealplan, and mealboard.
2. Realistic shopping.
We love promo and discount! Many shops offered cheaper price if we are willing to buy fruits or veggies in bigger quantity. But afterwards, we realized that we bought too much items and throw them away. To avoid wasting them, be realistic when you shop! Reconsider if you really need to buy those or you’re just buying them because of the promo/discount being offered?
3. Buy funny-looking products.
Who knows that Don’t judge a book by its cover is also applicable for buying groceries. We often see that many fruits and vegetables looked not-so-pretty and we think that they must taste bad and dangerous for our body. Apparently, most of the time these items are perfectly okay to be eaten. Also by buying them, we help avoiding these foods to be thrown away by the shop owners because no one would eventually buy them.
4. First in First out.
You can use First In First Out (FIFO) principle to help you organize your foods. When you open your fridge, see something that will be expired soon and make them as a priority for your next meal.
5. Eat left-overs.
When you feel already full, don’t throw your food immediately. Instead of throwing them away, put them in a bag and store them in the fridge. You can eat them later when you’re hungry. This also applies when you’re eating outside.
6. Store better.
When you leave chips, cereals or crackers outside, sometimes its taste weird after few days. This means that you’re not storing them appropriately. You can try to store your food in airtight containers so they last longer.
7. Make pickles.
Pickles are yummy and it’s actually quite easy to make them! Both fruits and vegetables can be turned into pickles with easy methods.
8. Donate to other people.
When you don’t feel like eating your foods, you can give them to your flat mates or your neighbors, or even people in the street. Most people will accept them happily.
9. Compost.
Lastly, you turn your food waste into compost. Rather than discarding them, you can compost certain foods and turn it into nutrient-rich fertilizer.