Food waste is a huge problem everywhere. Indians waste as much food as the United Kingdom consumes, In Switzerland and Germany alone, around a third of all food produced is thrown away. Food Wastage is an alarming issue in India. Our street and garbage bins, and landfills have sufficient proof to prove it. The consequences of this wastage are overproduction, wastage of resources, full waste dumps, and climate-damaging emissions. With the right habits and right thoughts, however, you can reduce food waste in the household to a minimum. The key lies not only in what you buy but also in how you buy it. Sometimes it’s really important to refuse to overbuy food items.
Children in all households are taught to clean their plates because it takes a huge amount of hardships to produce food on the farms and there are plenty of unfortunate people especially children in India who go hungry and malnourished. However, with growing affluence, Indians seem to have lost a good part of their prudence in terms of food waste management which included reducing, reusing, recycling, and recovering the food items. Surveys find that Indian households discard a significant 11% of all food available at the consumption stage of the supply chain which really needs to give a thought to this.
In this small write-up, you will learn a small strategy on how to avoid food waste and save time, money, and energy in the process.
#1. Shop Wisely:
The first important step to avoid food waste is to buy food wisely. Ask some questions to yourself before shopping for food.
What do you really need? What do you still have in your pantry? How long will the stocks last? And above all: when do you need a particular ingredient? Perishable goods should be used as soon as possible. Planning at least a few meals for each week is a great way to ensure you have healthy and fresh meals. It also prevents you from buying too much food especially packaged food because you feel like you need to be prepared for anything . so by taking an inventory and making the meal plans you can estimate exactly what you need to buy and how much.
#2 Store Food Correctly:
Move older products to the front of your cupboard or fridge and new ones to the back so that you consume older ones first to avoid wastage Use airtight containers to keep open food fresh in the fridge and ensure packets are closed to stop insects from getting in. When you buy produce, research where to store these foods in your home to make sure that they don’t spoil too quickly. An excellent way to preserve your food is by freezing it! You can freeze leftovers, fruits, vegetables, bread, and even cheese to eat or use later. If you have leftovers, it is best to put them in a transparent container and keep them in the front so that you can see at a glance what is inside. Place the leftovers so that you do not forget them and consume them within 1 to 3 days.
Some fruits and vegetables are better stored at room temperature, like potatoes and onions, and some are better stored in the refrigerator. Besides, the labels of food also suggest storage instructions!
#3 Don’t Judge Food by its Cover:
‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ actually applies to produce as well! Everyone wants to buy vegetables and fruits which has no spots, bruises, or marks. Purchasing imperfect food refers to misshaped or oddly shaped fruits or vegetables, and it has never been easier. Usually, these misshaped products are leftover in the store and thrown away as food waste but in most cases, they are as good as “perfectly shaped” food so don’t hesitate to buy them. Some grocery shoppers sell them at discounted prices so it is a good way to reduce food waste and save money.
#4 Assign a Day for Leftovers:
If you don’t eat everything freeze it and introduce a leftover day in a week. In the past, traditionally people ate either Non-Vegetarian or vegetarian food every Friday. So why not introduce a leftovers day into the menu? It has several advantages it not only helps less food end up in the trash bins, but it also saves your time and energy at least one day in the week from cooking because you don’t have to cook everything new you are eating what was already prepared. Mind that everything that is approaching is best -before the date.
#5 Compost the Scrape:
Composting kitchen waste is always a good idea. It is a sustainable way to make your food scraps into the form of energy and nutrients for your garden.
Compost is made by the process of decomposition. Decomposition breaks down things into smaller pieces. Dead plants, most natural foods, wood, cotton, and leaves can decompose in the soil. This can be a great way to reduce food waste.
