TOP TEN FOOD WASTE TIPS
When we think about food and climate, most of us probably think about agriculture, especially meat and dairy. Lots of us have made the connection between what we eat and emissions, but fewer of us have made the link between what we DON'T eat and emissions.
According to Our World in Data, food waste is responsible for around 6% (probably more) of global greenhouse gas emissions.
To put this in context...
- Food waste has around 3 times the impact of aviation (estimates vary from 2-5% of global emissions for aviation)
- If food waste were a country, it would be the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases behind the USA and China
- According to Wrap, one of the leading sustainability charities in the UK, up to 70% of food waste occurs in households!
So food waste is not only a Big Deal when it comes to the climate crisis, it's something we can have a BIG impact on in our homes, without having to wait for governments and businesses.
AND taking action on food waste will save us money! Apparently the average family in the UK spends around £60 a month on food that isn't eaten.
So where do we start?
Glad you asked! Here's my 'Top Ten Food Waste Tips' (please say this in your head like you're a presenter on 1980's Top of the Pops...)
1. Do a food waste audit
Super dull. But super useful. Will help you to ID exactly what your common culprits are, and from there you can work out a plan to tackle them. For example, bagged salad is one of the most commonly binned foods - we buy it because we feel like we should all be eating more greens and salad, pop it in the fridge, within about 36 seconds it starts to look a bit ropey, and before you know it you have a new species of slime. You bin it. And repeat...
2. Do a meal plan
Super dull. But super useful.
It doesn't have to be anything fancy - just have an idea of what needs eating up before you make your meal plan and shopping list, and factor in the fact that you'll probably be knackered my Wednesday (Monday?!) so maybe some freezer/easy meals for later in the week.
3.'Eat me first'
Have an 'eat me first' box or shelf in the fridge where anything that needs eating up gets up and everyone knows to eat that first.
4. Rescue your tired fruit
Chop up any tired looking fruit and store in bags in the freezer, ready to whiz up a nutritious and delicious food waste busting, smug mum feeling at the drop of a hat.
5. Love your freezer
There's lots and lots of stuff that can be frozen (check out Knackered Mum Kate's Full Freezer site for a shed load of freezing advice!) including milk, cream, butter, eggs and cheese. You can also freeze stuff on it's Use By date too if you're not going to get round to eating it in time.
6. Ignore Best Before Dates
On the subject of Use By and Best Before Dates..
Best Before Dates can be safely ignored. There's a chance things like crisps might be a teensy bit stale if you leave them a couple of years(!), but most things will be none the worse.
Use By dates are more of a definite, although I have to confess I'm pretty lax on these for things like milk and yoghurt - if you're in any way immunocompromised, ignore me and follow the dates!
7. Make fridge soup/'fridge surprise' with any leftovers before going shopping.
Remember that the soup can then be frozen (especially if it's the middle of summer and no-one can be tempted with a nice bowl of warming soup..!)
8. Keep your bread crusts
I have a bag in the freezer for bread crusts, and even half pieces of toast or sandwich that the kids have left. I'll take bits out to whiz up for breadcrumbs when I need them, and when it gets full I make a savoury bread pudding.
9. Freeze in tiny portions!
Things like pesto, tomato puree and lemon juice can all be frozen in ice cube trays and then decanted as you need them - no more growing weird furry mould on that half jar of pesto that's sat in the fridge!
10. Go bananas...
If you've got bananas that are going brown and you can't find the energy to make that lockdown special banana bread, simply peel them, chop them and whack them in a bag in a freezer. They can then be used in smoothies, banana ice cream, or to make that banana bread when you can face it...
