Food waste is a global issue. Across the world, over 1/3 of all food produced ends up never being consumed. In the United Kingdom, 9.5 million tonnes of food are wasted every year.
While this seems like a hard problem to fix, small changes in our daily habits can reduce food waste. Here are ten simple and easy ways that you can minimise food waste in your daily life without missing out on delicious meals.
1. Try frozen food
Ordering frozen food is a great way to combat food waste. Frozen food has a longer shelf life, allowing for better planning and portion control. Freezing preserves the nutritional value and taste, ensuring you have access to a variety of foods year-round. This approach will save time and can even help to speed up your cooking process!
2. Meal plans
Meal planning is a sure-fire way to reduce food waste. By planning your meals for the week ahead, you can avoid impulse purchases. Instead, every item you buy will have a purpose.
Write a meal plan with pen and paper! You should begin by planning around ingredients you already have (to further reduce waste) then create a meal plan that ensures you get the nutrition you need without excess.
3. Shop with a list
Now that you have a meal plan, the next step is to create a shopping list. Sticking to a shopping list means you can more easily avoid the temptation of buying food you don’t need – and may end up wasting!
Beyond this, a shopping list will streamline your trip to the shops, saving time and avoiding the stress of last-minute meal decisions.
4. Check what you have
Before you head to the store, check what you have at home. It’s easy to buy duplicates of simple foods. To avoid wastage, you should always make sure to have an inventory of the food you already own.
5. Understand date labels
You can unnecessarily waste food by misunderstanding date labels. You should know that “use by” indicates that food should be consumed before the date in question. “Best before” refers to the quality of the food. Often, food that has expired its “best before” date is still completely fine to eat.
Trust your senses! if it looks, smells or tastes fine, it likely is.
6. Store food properly
Proper storage can extend the life of your food. Different types of food require different storage methods. For example, some fruits create gases that can spoil other produce, so knowing which items to separate can lead to longer-lasting food.
A great tip is to invest in airtight containers. These will allow you to separate food when needed, while greatly increasing the time it takes for some food to spoil.
7. Love your leftovers
One of the best ways to reduce food wastage is to learn to love leftovers! With a touch of creativity, you will be able to transform these into delicious new meals. Whether you’re turning last night’s roast chicken into a savoury pie or blending leftover vegetables into a soup, this can reduce waste and stretch your budget!
You should aim to designate a leftover night each week. During this night you can make sure that you use up any leftover to ensure nothing gets forgotten at the back of your fridge!
8. Freeze surplus food
Let’s imagine you’ve made too much of a certain dish. Placing this food into a container and freezing it means you can enjoy it later. You can freeze a long list of different meals provided you have the right containers and enough freeze space.
9. Cook in batches
Some people choose to batch-cook meals and store them, offering them quick homemade options on busy days. This method involves cooking large quantities of meals on a specific day, then freezing them so that you have everything ready for the week or month ahead.
10. Serve smaller portions
Smaller portions can help you reduce waste. It’s much easier to add more to your plate if you’re still hungry, rather than having too much and having to throw it away. Not only does this approach help you to reduce food waste, but it also helps to reduce overeating.
Reduce food waste with Harry’s Country Kitchen
Using the ten strategies we’ve laid out can help to significantly reduce food waste in your daily life. While each may only contribute a small amount, combining them can make a big impact. If you’re interested in trying frozen meals to reduce food waste, you’re in the right place...
Harry’s Country Kitchen offers an innovative solution to food waste. With delicious, high-quality frozen meals, our portion-controlled meals ensure you have everything you need for convenience.
From traditional favourites like Italian, Chinese and Indian meals, Harry’s makes mealtimes easy. Opting for frozen meals can save time and allow for nutritious dining experiences. Start today to make food waste a thing of a past!
