One of the main causes of food waste is consumers buying more than they actually need. This results in a lot of food having to be thrown away. If you find yourself constantly throwing food away, it’s time to look at ways to reduce it.
Here, we’ll look at some great tips you can follow to avoid buying food you don’t want or need.
Avoid Doing a Large Weekly Shop
While a large weekly shop is ideal for those who live a busy lifestyle, it can also lead to a lot of food waste. This is especially true if you tend to buy a lot of fresh produce.
Unfortunately, while a packed fridge looks good, you might not be able to eat everything before it goes out of date. So, if you tend to go for one big shop each week, you might want to start splitting it down and doing several smaller shops during the week.
It may not be as convenient, but you’ll notice you throw away a lot less food doing it this way.
Start Meal Prepping
Did you know meal prepping is a great way to avoid food waste? It involves planning what you and the family are going to eat for the week. That way, when you go shopping, you’ll have a list of the things you need for the meals you’ll be eating. You won’t buy any unnecessary ingredients and there is less chance you’ll need to throw unused food away.
It takes a bit of effort, but meal prepping delivers a lot of benefits. As well as cutting back on waste, it can also help you to eat healthier.
Make Sure You Store and Label Food Correctly
How you store your food will also make a big difference to how long it lasts. Always read the labels to see how each food should be stored. If you’re opening food, make sure to store any excess in tightly sealed containers, for example. This will help to keep it fresher for longer.
Labelling your food can also help. For example, if you do have leftovers, write on the label when something needs to be eaten by.
Always Create a Shopping List
Even if you choose not to meal prep, it can really help to go shopping with a list. That way, you know exactly what you need, and you’ll be less likely to buy anything extra.
Of course, this isn’t a foolproof method, but it can cut down a significant amount of food waste over the course of a year.
You might also find it useful to write a list of the foods you most commonly waste. This will let you see where you might need to make adjustments. The foods you throw away most can be purchased in smaller quantities.
Overall, food waste is a major issue and consumers buying more than they need is a major contributor. The above are just some of the ways you can cut down on buying more than you actually need.
