It is estimated that we waste about 30-40% of the food produced on the planet. The idea of walking out of the grocery store and tossing nearly half of whatever was purchased into the trash seems ridiculous. But this is how we have been functioning in a less obvious way. When this food ends up in the landfills it isn’t able to decompose properly and releases methane into the atmosphere, which is about 30 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at warming the Earth. Here are a few ways we can individually waste less food—every little bit makes a difference, and remember our purchasing habits impact the supply chain.
1. Make a plan before you shop
Instead of aimlessly filling the basket, shop with a plan of what you will cook for the week.
2. Buy fresh more often
Stock up on the non-perishables & buy produce a couple times per week to avoid over-buying and having things go rotten.
3. Check the fridge before you leave home.
Take inventory of what you have before you accidentally double-up and end up tossing things in the trash.
4. Freeze it
Notice if you have an abundance of limes, herbs, fruit etc. Make a pesto-sauce, or blend the fruit into a smoothie and freeze them into ice-cube trays, then transfer to a ziploc or container to use at a later date.
5. Soups
If a plethora of veggies have accumulated in the fridge and are nearing their wilty-demise, look up a recipe and make soup or stew. Another option is to combine all the veggie scrapes and stir-fry them up for a delicious meal.
6. Stir-fries
Another option is to combine all the veggie scraps and stir-fry them up for a delicious meal.
7. Store things well to increase their life-span.
Prep celery and carrots, and store in glass jars of water. They will stay crisp and delicious for more than double, if not triple the time.
8. Compost
Need to toss veggies, fruits, ends or scraps—compost them. These days there are all sorts of small-space friendly composting bins. Some farmers will take your veg and fruit scraps with gratitude. By composting, giving food waste a chance to efficiently decompose we are actually sending nutrients back into the soil— supporting Mother Nature to do her thing to actually sequester carbon-dioxide out of the atmosphere. Imagine that?
Learn to shop more efficiently, use produce for multiple meals, meal plan and pack more nutrition into every meal with The Salty Club’s 28-Day Rewire Your Eating Habits E-Book by Taylor Godber.