Every year, billions of tons of food are being discarded in landfills where they sit, decompose and produce methane gas. By choosing not to waste food, you can make a positive difference to the environment. If you want to minimize your food waste but aren’t sure where to start, here are a few easy and helpful tips to get you started.
Properly store your produce
Unfortunately, many people purchase food without understanding the proper way to store it. Purchasing a bunch of fruits and veggies while you’re shopping only to come home and store them improperly, is essentially like throwing money in the trash.
A common mistake people make is to put all their fruits and veggies inside the refrigerator. While some fruits and veggies require refrigeration, for others it’s simply too cold. Tomatoes, garlic, onions, and potatoes for instance should never see the inside of your fridge.
Eat leftovers
When you store your leftovers, store them in a transparent container, where you can see them when you first open the fridge. You’re more likely to eat the leftovers instead of fixing something new if they’re the first thing you see when searching for a meal or snack. Cover leftovers, wrap them in airtight packaging, or seal them in storage containers. These practices help keep bacteria out, retain moisture, and prevent leftovers from picking up odours from other food in the refrigerator. Leftovers can be kept for three to four days in the refrigerator. Be sure to eat them within that time. After that, the risk of food poisoning increases. If you don’t think you’ll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them immediately.
Utilize Your Freezer
If you have excess produce you know you won’t use before it spoils, freeze it. You can use it for smoothies later down the line. You should also freeze foods like soup, which is normally made in bulk and therefore more likely to get discarded. Not only will freezing your meals or veggies cut back on waste, but you’ll have convenient, healthy meals at the ready whenever you need them.
