How much wasted food from your kitchen do you throw out on a regular basis? Aside from wasting hard-earned money, wasting food also affects our carbon footprint as the production and disposal of this food is related to high greenhouse gas emissions.
It makes sense to reduce our food waste in the home, especially during this time of crisis. Here are some things that you can do:
Plan your meals. This way, you can only buy what you will need and avoid keeping perishables for a long time. Make a plan once or twice a week and shop based on the ingredients you will need.
Clean your ref and pantry regularly. This is the way to take stock of what you have so you can use it first before buying new supply. Avoid going past expiration dates by scheduling regular clean-up times.
Keep fruits and vegetables properly. Avoid washing leafy greens, veggies and fruits before you keep them. Simply wrap the leafy greens in paper and store them in the ref until you are ready to use them. You can then wash before using.
Don’t throw out old fruits and veggies. If they are still edible, use them to make fruit smoothies or vegetable stock. Some people even freeze the produce for future use. If the food is not edible anymore, throw it into the compost. You can find plenty of guides on the internet about how to make a compost can, like this one.
Grow your own herbs. This saves you money and allows you access to ready herbs when you need them. Try growing mint, basil, rosemary, oregano, cilantro, etc. These are great for salads, pasta, sandwiches, sauces, tea, and more.
Don’t discard citrus peels. You can turn them into a cleaning solution (lemon peels + vinegar + water), air freshener (simmer in water), or body scrub (citrus peels + sea salt).