The US
Environmental Protection Agency reports that the average American household
loses about $370 per year as wasted food. While this may not look like much, it
is serious money when the national figure is tallied. This happens in the face
of the fact that an estimated 800 million people in the world are going hungry. Food wastage takes
away much-needed resources in water and energy, not to mention that the money
could also be used for other needs. What can you do to reduce food wastage in
your home?
Inventory the
fridge
Many people will
usually make a cursory look at what is in the fridge, then head out to the
store. It is important to do an inventory on what is needed. Aim to shop for
that week only. This can be done with better organisation of the menu. Shop
with your week’s meals in mind. This way, the fridge holds only what is needed.
When you bring in new items, place them at the back of the fridge and bring the
old stuff to the front for prioritized use.
Avoid buying on
impulse
There is a lot of impulse
buying in food, more than any other household items. This is because it is easy
to pick of that carton of fruits that has 25% off. Deals like these always look
inviting regardless of the fact that it is hard to go through these perishables
in a week. Don’t buy food items especially vegetables and fruits in bulk just
because the price looks good.
Proper storage
It is surprising
how much food spoils from poor storage despite all the cooling and preservation
technology available. Proper storage is more than just placing items in the
fridge. Lumping fruits like bananas and apples together will lead to spoiling
as these are fruits that emit gases which affect other foods around them.
Washing berries before storing is highly likely to grow mold. Learn proper storage techniques for different food items.
Smart cooking
Have menus that
build on each other. If, for example, you will be having chicken burgandy on
Monday, plan for a menu that can use the leftover chicken the next day. This
way you get to eat the leftovers in healthy dishes instead of throwing them
away.
Learn to donate
There are many
people that need that food you are throwing away. Work with charitable networks
which provide free or affordable food to those who need it. A good example is
the MEANS database which matches those with excess with those in need.
