Stop Wasting Food? How can we stop wasting food? We throw away Appx 538M euros worth of food every year.
How can we stop wasting food?
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| wasted food |
Oh!! This food they are no longer edible, a leftover that has been in the fridge too long and that half can of beans is no longer usable. As Dutch people, we throw away a lot of food. Every year, every household puts an average of about 538 euros worth of unused groceries in the garbage can. That is not only bad for our bank account, it also does not make the environment happy. According to the United Nations, less food waste can contribute to the sustainable development goals that have been set. Especially with World Environment Day next Saturday something to pay attention to.
We want to prevent food waste
For that reason, meal box company HelloFresh and the foundation Together against food waste conducted research, they report in a press release. In March and September last year, about 1,000 households were asked how much food actually ends up in the trash. A lot, it turns out.
While we do find it necessary to combat food waste. With about 94 percent, almost every Dutch person finds it unnecessary to throw so much away. Of these, 84 percent actually want to do something about waste. However, that is not entirely possible, and we throw away more than a tenner of food every week.
Tips to save yourself
According to the research, this is mainly because we buy too large. Yet not so much has to end up in the waste bin. We have collected five tips for you to do your part and of course save.
Make a weekly menu
It takes some time, and the first few weeks probably won't go smoothly. Still, a weekly menu will bring you benefits. Set aside an hour to pick out some tasty dishes. Keep that in mind with ingredients you may have left over. Do you need half a zucchini for Monday's recipe? Then make sure you can use the other half on another day of the week. Once you've mastered the weekly evening menus, add lunch and maybe even breakfast to your planning and shopping list. There are even entire books for it, such as that of Sanne van Rooij.
An additional advantage:
This makes it easier to eat a healthy and varied diet. If it turns out that you have three pasta and five chicken on the menu, you may need to add some other meals. With a fixed shopping list, you only have to go to the store once or twice a week. Hold back on unhealthy foods and curb your late-night snacking soreness right away.
Do you have too many groceries to take with you at once? Make your plan for the whole week but split your shopping in two.
Freeze your leftovers:
That pasta sauce was great, but eating another plate is going a bit far. Dried pasta can be stored for a long time and the sauce can be frozen separately. That applies to many dishes. In this way it is not a problem if you often cook larger portions than you can eat. Always check whether your dish can be frozen properly. Otherwise, you may be able to make the neighbor happy with it.
Cliques are also perfect when the hectic life starts again. You don't have to cook, but you do have a healthy meal. By the way, don't forget to put a sticker on the containers so that dishes are not left in the freezer for too long. Small freezer? Then plan a clique day every week.
Soup against food waste:
The perfect way to use up vegetables that aren't that tasty anymore. Soup! It is advisable to choose vegetables whose flavors go together. The basis is simple: chop an onion, squeeze out a garlic clove if necessary and sauté in a little olive oil. Add the leftover vegetables, some stock, let it boil for 15 minutes and puree. Season with salt, pepper and your favorite herbs.
No waste and a healthy vegetable boost. Also ideal for lunch. You can vary endlessly. Peas with coriander, fennel and zucchini, bell pepper and tomato, parsnip and celeriac, carrot and sweet potato, it makes us hungry.
Find a packaging-free store:
Especially if you often cook for yourself, a packaging-free store is ideal. The products are not prepackaged and therefore you can buy exactly as much as you want. Need three mushrooms for a recipe? You're not stuck with the rest of the tray. One handful of spinach according to the ingredients list? Don't worry about what to do with the rest of the bag.
Another eco-friendly advantage:
Some packaging-free stores only sell seasonal products and sometimes even only local seasonal products. This makes your meal even more sustainable. The price can be a drawback. Although you often spend less for your vegetables, products such as cheese and meat sometimes cost more. Therefore, if you do it to save money, take a good look at what you buy.
Is a packaging-free store not an option? Check the frozen shelf in your supermarket. Most vegetables can be stored in frozen packaging.