How can we reduce food waste?
How can we reduce food waste?
Tons of food is wasted every year in the UK, with around 70% coming directly from households. With such disparity between the richest and poorest members of the UK population, its imperative that all food purchased is put to good use.
Thankfully, an increasing number of companies are focusing efforts on making use of food wasted within the food system. But we can also do our bit at home to reduce food waste coming from the household!
Some tips for reducing household food waste:
· Go through the dates on your perishable goods (meat, dairy, eggs, fruit, vegetables, etc.) and take note of when they expire. If you plan on definitely using them before the expiry date, great. If not, make sure to freeze them so they don’t get wasted. For things that come in multiples, for example chicken breasts, try storing them individually as opposed to in large packs so that you can just defrost each one as and when you need it.
· Make a meal plan for the week ahead and stick to it. That way you’ll ensure to use up what you have available as opposed to making impulsive decisions that may not be the most efficient way of preserving food.
· Things like frozen bags of fruit and veg, tinned beans, vegetables and fruit, and dried items like rice and pasta are all staple, versatile items that last ages and therefore are great items to always have in the home!
· Keep all leftovers, no matter how small. Leftovers can always get thrown into something! Leftovers from just two or three meals often makes up one whole meal, you just need to be creative and flexible when it comes to conjuring up meals and snacks.
And how can we help provide food to those who are most in need of it?
Food banks have been particularly struggling from the impact of cornonavirus; more people rely on donations than ever before and the economic downturn means regular sources of donations may have halted.
Given that food insecurity – defined as inconsistent physical and economic access to food – affects millions of people in the UK, including the likes of nurses and teachers, food banks need our help more than ever. We can donate by dropping items into food bank baskets situated near the exits of most big supermarkets. For more information on how to best support food banks, head to https://www.trusselltrust.org/.