Although food is essential to our survival, we do not treat it as such. In fact, we are lenient in our approach to this valuable natural resource. And if you do not believe that food waste is an issue, think again.
Food waste in the US amounts to 80 billion pounds annually. To put this mind-boggling number into perspective, every person produces 219 pounds of food waste per year. Unfortunately, such statistics are alarming and need to be taken seriously.
Regardless of how big or small your family is, your efforts in fighting food waste can help make a difference. And if you are looking for ways to contribute to the cause, the following tips will come in handy.
1. Plan Your Meals
Most of us are living our lives in the fast lane. For this reason, we often resort to quick solutions, such as takeouts or stockpiling our food.
However, imprudent food buying and consumption do not only harm your health and finances. They also increase the waste you produce. To avoid that, you and your family can turn the tide by planning your meals.
The best way to go about it is to keep a record of meals your household enjoys. In addition, highlighting quantities on your shopping list is bound to help as well. Both of these will contribute to keeping track of the ingredients you need or already have.
2. Shop Smart
Shopping smart goes hand-in-hand with planning your meals. Seeing as the US has the cheapest food in the world, it is no wonder many of us tend to overbuy.
While it is true that buying in bulk will save you some money, it is only viable if your family consumes the food before it spoils. Otherwise, you are looking at increasing landfill waste and nitrogen pollution.
3. Tend to Your Leftovers
Even when planning your meals and sticking to the shopping list, there is no escaping leftovers. Sometimes, you may overcalculate. Other times, your family may not be in the mood for the planned meal — kids especially.
Rather than discarding your leftovers, why not freeze them instead? This way, you can eat them later or use them as an ingredient further down the line.
4. Choose the Odd One Out
Some of us are picky eaters, and we also tend to judge our food by its appearance. To help decrease food waste, you should not shy away from bruised or oddly shaped fruits and vegetables.
As a matter of fact, your family can put them to immediate use. After all, everyone loves a fresh salad, smoothie, or juice! Or, you can try your hand at making jam, candied fruit, and compote.
5. Get Acquainted With Expiration Labels
Did you know? More than 80% of Americans throw perfectly good food away because they are not acquainted with expiration labels.
To that end, having your family learn what “Best By/Before, Expires On, Use By,” and others indicate will pay dividends. So the next time you see a discounted product, try not to dismiss its expiration label right off the bat.
6. Store Your Food Correctly
A point often overlooked is that we are oblivious to how we store the purchased food. As such, we end up discarding it.
To avoid these wasteful outcomes, here are some ways you and your family can preserve the food’s freshness.
● Know where to keep the produce
Some produce prefers cooler temperatures than others. For this reason, you will need to learn how to store fruits and vegetables inside or outside your refrigerator.
● Decide what to do with the produce
Certain fruits and vegetables need to be refrigerated as soon as possible to retain their freshness. However, if you want to eat them at room temperature, you should plan in advance. In other words, you need to take them out of the refrigerator hours before you consume them.
Similarly, your family may want to enjoy seasonal produce out of season. In that case, you would do well to freeze, can, or preserve it immediately after the purchase.
● Separate the produce
As fruits ripen, they tend to give off natural gases. This ultimately causes the nearby produce to spoil faster.
One way to prevent this from happening is to keep fruits and vegetables separately. Furthermore, remember that produce such as apples, bananas, and tomatoes need to be stored by themselves.
● Organize your storage
Although it may seem irrelevant at first, it is important to organize your cupboard and refrigerator. Moving older products to the front and new ones to the back is a prudent choice.
By doing so, your family will stay up to date with the expiration labels and prevent the food from spoiling.
7. Make the Most of Your Surplus
If you somehow end up with more food than you bargained for, do not let it go to waste. Instead, look for ways to put it to good use.
Ask around your neighborhood where you can donate the surplus food. Have your family connect with local food banks and small businesses. That way, you will help reduce the potential waste by sharing your food with the community.
Fighting Food Waste One Step At a Time
In the long run, it may take some time for your family to get used to the idea of fighting food waste. Although it is by no means a novel concept, it is a work in progress that needs to be maintained.
All in all, we can reduce water consumption, landfill waste, and air pollution by being mindful of our eating habits. To that end, your family’s environmentally friendly journey toward a healthier lifestyle starts by taking the first step to fighting food waste. So why not embark on it today?
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