Wasting food is something we are all guilty of, although some people are definitely better at it than others š Ā I find that I tend to go through periods where I become acutely aware of how much we are wasting and start to make a concerted effort to try and minimise waste.Ā Iām going through one of those stages right now, partly because the pantry has reached stuffing point (see how it is filled right to the edge – and it’s a deep pantry) which indicates I have far too much food in the house.
Initially, for āvisual impactā I was going to take a photo of food scraps Iād kept for the week, but to be honest, after the first night I was too emabarassed.Ā Man, do we throw out a lot of food!
So, itās time to get āfrugalā and start managing this situation better. Ā Hereās a list of the ways I plan to tackle my food wasteĀ and bring things back to an acceptable level.
- Start a pantry reduction plan.Ā Iām going to make a list of what is in the pantry ā particularly all those things lurking in the back and start to use them up rather than buy more things to go in.Ā The reality is I canāt get to the back because of all the ājust in casesā Iāve bought and put at the front.Ā Time to clean it out and hopefully minimise what has to be thrown out.
- Ā Be more vigilant in using fruit and vegetables that are past their peak.Ā Far too many soft apples, wilted celery and limp carrots have made their way into the bin (or should that be compost bin).Ā These can be easily turned into something edible ā think stewed fruit, fruit pies, preserves, soups, stock, purees. Ā One great solution is to boil up all the bits and pieces of vegetables lying in the bottom of the fridge with a few herbs and seasoning ā vegetable stock ready to go!
- Make better use of leftovers.Ā Sometimes with the best intentions these get refrigerated for ālaterā.Ā Sadly, more often than not they turn up āmuch laterā when cleaning out the fridge and are smelly, mouldy and a throw out.Ā If there is extra food from a meal, Iāll plan to use this either at lunch or dinner time in the next few days.Ā If itās likely it wonāt get used then Iāll freeze it for another day if possible.Ā Even if itās just a cup of cooked rice or pasta ā these can form the basis for a lunch salad or be stirred through some cooked vegetables the next night. Ā If there is a collection over a few days I’ll plan a āLeftovers Nightā where all the leftovers are served buffet style and everyone can pick and choose what they want to eat (the kids love these dinners).
- Ā Menu planning.Ā This is already a staple in my life, but it could be better.Ā Donāt just think dinners ā include breakfasts (especially weekends), lunches and any extras to be made during the week such as baking, dips, preserves etc.Ā This will greatly help to minimise the impulse purchases at the supermarket that end up being the āback of the pantryā items in a matter of weeks.Ā Usually, these items get forgotten simply because they havenāt been planned for.Ā If an impulse or unplanned item (e.g. a super special or bargain buy) makes it into the trolley, Iāll include it in the menu plan or leave the ingredient/item on the bench so I donāt forget to use it.
- Ā Be a āwiserā supermarket shopper.Ā This is where I can really come unstuck because no matter how much I plan, write a list etc, once at the supermarket Ā it is easy to fall for all the ādealsā.Ā For example, a killer marketing ploy that is very prevalent in our supermarkets is the āBuy 1 get one freeā or worse āBuy 3 pay for 2ā.Ā In the past Iāve been suckered into the āwell itās so cheap what does it matterā mentality ā and thatās what this type of marketing is all about!Ā If Iām confident Iāll use the product, in the trolley it goes.Ā Otherwise, IāllĀ look for a single item that may well cost less than the ādealā and be better off because I wonāt be throwing the money out later on.
- Use the freezer more.Ā Not just for leftovers but for lots of other products as well.Ā It helps to lengthen shelf life and reduce what gets thrown out.Ā Often there are items that could have easily been frozen (bread, vegetables, herbs, stock) but they ended up in the bin instead simply because of poor planning or organization.
So there you have it, some ideas that Iāll be using to start minimising my food waste and hopefully save some dollars.Ā If you are feeling a bit the same way, then hopefully these ideas will help you too.
If you have any of your own to add to the list, please put them below.Ā Iād love to hear them.Ā Finally, donāt forget to share with your friends by clicking the buttons below.