Let’s talk: food help meal. For an average consumer, you may not think much of the food you waste every day. However, if you consider the bigger picture. For you too may be contributing to the problems that arise from food wastage.
From greenhouse gas emissions to resource exhaustion. For food help meal wastage has a significant impact globally. Fortunately, by adopting ways to reduce food waste to help those who need a meal. For it’s at home throughout the day. I mean you can play a productive role. For this article helps give you a nudge in the right direction. Let’s have a look!
Picture: Unsplash
Organize Your Food
The first and foremost requirement for reducing resource consumption is to be more organized. For this purpose, you must invest time in planning and prepping. So here are a few ways to go about it.
Keep Your Fridge and Pantry Organized
Be it your fridge or the pantry, keep them clean and systematized. Especiallyso you know what is available and what must be eaten first. Food, pushed to the back, will likely be forgotten and expired. Then only to be thrown away without being touched. Store the food in clear containers. Thereby giving you a clear view of what is available.
Understand What “Use By” And “Best Before” Dates Mean
The use-by date is usually used for perishable food items like readymade meals, meat, or dairy and indicates when it is safe to consume. It is best not to stock up on these items.
On the other hand, the best-before date is used for food items like pasta, beans, or lentils and indicates when the food is safe for use. While it is more flexible, the food can be affected by various factors like temperature changes, and it is best to keep track of the food through inspection.
Prepare a Grocery Shopping List
Always take note of the available food items and make a list at home before making a grocery shopping trip so as to buy only the necessary items. This will not only prevent you from buying extra items but will also help you save money.
Plan and Use Your Food
A wise approach to preventing food wastage is to keep track of the available items and use the foods that may be nearing their expiry date. Here are a few helpful tips.
Make Weekly Meal Plans
Making meal plans will not only be helpful in grocery shopping but will also allow you to use the perishable items in time. When preparing meals, be mindful of how much food you prepare to avoid having leftovers.
Be Creative with Meals
If you have any products nearing expiry, use them in your recipes. One-pot pasta, soups, and casseroles are a great way to use different vegetables and other items and avoid throwing them out.
Serve Smaller Portions
Serve smaller portions to avoid discarding the leftover food in the waste bin. People can always help themselves to a second helping later.
Store and Conserve Your Food Properly
Despite trying your best to use the food in good time or consume the prepared food, you may always end up with leftover food. Here are some ways to tackle this issue.
Store Your Food Properly
When you purchase food, it is also important to store it properly to prolong its shelf life. This is particularly important for fruits and vegetables, so you must take care in storing fresh produce in a way that its freshness remains for a long time.
When putting the food away in the fridge, bring the older food to the front so your family knows what must go first.
Preserve Food
Have tired-looking apples or strawberries at home? Make purees or sauces to preserve them and turn them into mouthwatering treats. You can freeze, can, or pickle the produce to preserve them and reduce your carbon footprint as well.
Compost Leftover Food
You can reuse food scraps by composting leftover food and turning it into an energy source for plants. You can use compost bins according to your available space and make an outdoor composting system accessible for everyone in the house and easy to manage.
Whether you have a vast outdoor space or dwell in the city with limited space, there are bins of different sizes to cater to varying needs.
Share Your Food
There is nothing better than sharing your food. If you have prepared too much food or purchased more than you require, share it with your friends and colleagues or invite neighbors for a meal. You can also ask nearby food banks if they accept food donations. Your food might just make someone’s day.
Final Thoughts
There is a growing awareness globally regarding food waste. Considering the ever-increasing inflation and global poverty, there is a need now more than ever to be mindful of how to consume and conserve resources.
The tips mentioned in the article can help you not only play your part in reducing food waste but can also help in curtailing the expenses incurred on groceries. If you have any other creative and helpful tips for managing the issue of food waste, do share them in the comments!
Sources
