Tons of food is thrown away by households across the world each year. The wasted food ends up polluting the surroundings and also increases the demand for more, which adds pressure on natural resources. All these pose a threat to the future of the planet and its inhabitants, while also costing households money.
That is why you need to work towards reducing food wastage at home by following these three simple practices.
Shopping Smart
The main reason why large quantities of food end up in bins is that households often buy more than they need. People buy more than they need, most of which spoils before it can be prepared or consumed. Therefore, the first step towards reducing the amount of food thrown away in your house is to shop smart.
When you become a conscious shopper, you avoid buying too much each time you visit a grocery store. For example, you refrain from purchasing a two-weeks supply as this increases the chances of most of it spoiling and getting thrown away.
The reason why many people buy more than they need is that they don’t want to make frequent stops at the grocery store. If you belong to the list, know that you can avoid the visits by ordering online. However, make sure that you only pick fresh food delivery boxes that are well portioned.
Keep Leftovers
Leftovers make a significant percentage of the total food wasted. This is because many people think of throwing away the remaining food after a meal instead of keeping it for later. If you have this habit, then you should make a change.
Ensure that after every meal, the leftovers are well-stored. Teach your children and the rest of the household members to observe the same.
There is a high chance that you will forget the leftover. Therefore, keep the food in a place where they can be noticed easily.
Store Food Correctly
Poor storage practices often result in fresh supplies and leftover spoiling and getting thrown away. To avoid the same mistake, learn how to keep the food fresh inside or outside the refrigerator.
You should keep the temperature of the refrigerator at 410 and below so that fruits and vegetables, among other perishables, can remain fresh for longer. Also, it is better to store most food products in airtight containers.
Remember to keep track of all the food in the refrigerator and observe the first in first out rule. The practice will ensure that you take out and prepare stored food items before they spoil.
For foods that do not require a refrigerator, keep them in a place where they cannot be contaminated.
As a takeaway, avoid wasting food at home. You can achieve this by becoming a conscious shopper whenever you visit a grocery store or order fresh food delivery boxes online. Remember to keep leftovers for later use and to store the food properly. All these will help reduce the quantity of food thrown away each year.
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