2. Avoid Food Waste
Planning
To minimise food waste, it's best to prevent it from happening in the first place. Planning is crucial in achieving this goal. By making a food plan you can save both time and money, using what you already have and buying only what is necessary. A good plan involves assessing your current supplies, scheduling your meals, and identifying what you need to purchase. If planning every meal seems overwhelming, consider preparing for a few days or just your weeknight dinners.
Shopping
By shopping wisely, you can prevent wasting thousands of dollars a year on discarded food. To achieve this, keep in mind a few basic principles. Before heading to the store, make a list of what you need to purchase and check your fridge and cupboards to know what you already have. Plan your meals around in-season food as it is usually less expensive and has a longer lifespan due to its freshness.If you struggle to stick to your list while shopping, try to avoid shopping when you're hungry or with children, as this increases the likelihood of making unnecessary purchases.
Lastly, keep in mind that bulk-buy deals or two-for-one specials are only a good value if you actually use everything included. If it ends up in the trash, it's not a bargain.
Cooking
Cooking without waste is simple and enjoyable. The best strategies to cook without waste include planning meals, using up ingredients creatively, and cooking the right amount to avoid leftovers, or make leftover meals a part of your plan. Meal planning saves time and stress, and helps to reduce food waste. If you have spare ingredients or leftovers, be creative and find recipes that use those. Preparing larger portions for freezing or lunch can save food, money, and time. Don't give up on seemingly hopeless food items, as there may be ways to use them. If leftovers are a result of picky young eaters, there are many ways to engage children in the cooking and eating process to prevent food waste.
Disposal
While two-thirds of household food waste could have been avoided, there are always certain items that are unavoidable such as avocado skins, egg shells or coffee grounds.
These scraps still have valuable nutrients that can be put back into the system rather than going to waste and ending up in landfill.
There are a range of ways you can ensure unavoidable food waste is put to good use rather than ending up in the rubbish bin – see some examples below:
Avocado seed & peel:
- regrow an avocado plant
- use the skin in smoothies
- drink avocado tea
- make avocado powder
- avocado skins into plant pots
- use it as a biodegradable seed starter: fill the skin with soil, plant your seed, and watch it grow; when the seedling is ready to be transplanted, simply place the entire avocado skin and seedling into the ground.
| Eggshells: Calcium-rich eggshells can be crushed and used as a soil amendment for plants, or added to compost to enrich the soil. How to Extract Calcium from Eggshells | creative explained - YouTube Coffee grounds: Used coffee grounds are a great source of nitrogen and can be added to compost, used as a natural fertiliser for plants, or mixed with soil for gardening. How to use Coffee Grounds as Plant Food | Natural Fertilizer - creative explained - YouTube |
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Bread crusts: Bread crusts can be used to make croutons, breadcrumbs, or as a base for a bread pudding.
Meat bones: Bones from meat like chicken, beef, or pork can be used to make broth or stock, which is a great base for soups and stews.
How to Make Bone-Meal | creative explained - YouTube
Fruit and vegetable peels for snacks: Peels from fruits like apples, pears, and mangoes, and vegetables like sweet potato and beetroot can be dried and turned into healthy snacks. Simply cut the peels into thin strips, coat them with olive oil and seasonings, and bake them in the oven until crispy.
Melon Peels Hacks | creative explained - YouTube
Broccoli stalks for salads or stir-fries: The stalks of broccoli are often discarded, but they are actually packed with nutrients and can be used in salads or stir-fries. Simply slice them thinly and use them in place of other vegetables
