1. Shop Smart
Most people tend to buy more food than they need.
Though buying in bulk may be convenient, research has shown that this shopping method leads to more food waste
To avoid buying more food than you need, make frequent trips to the grocery store every few days rather than doing a bulk shopping trip once a week.
Make a point to use up all the food you purchased during the last trip to the market before buying more groceries.
Additionally, try making a list of items that you need to buy and stick to that list. This will help you reduce impulse buying and reduce food waste as well.
2. Store Food Correctly
Improper storage leads to a massive amount of food waste.
According to the Natural Resource Defense Council, about two-thirds of household waste in the United Kingdom is due to food spoilage (4).
Many people are unsure how to store fruits and vegetables, which can lead to premature ripening and, eventually, rotten produce.
For instance, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, cucumbers and onions should never be refrigerated. These items should be kept at room temperature.
Separating foods that produce more ethylene gas from those that don’t is another great way to reduce food spoilage. Ethylene promotes ripening in foods and could lead to spoilage.
Foods that produce ethylene gas while ripening include:
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Tomatoes
- Cantaloupes
- Peaches
- Pears
- Green onions
Keep these foods away from ethylene-sensitive produce like potatoes, apples, leafy greens, berries and peppers to avoid premature spoilage.
3. Learn to Preserve
While you might think fermenting and pickling are new fads, food preservation techniques like these have been used for thousands of years.
Pickling, a type of preservation method using brine or vinegar, may have been used as far back as 2400 BC (5).
Pickling, drying, canning, fermenting, freezing and curing are all methods you can use to make food last longer, thus reducing waste.
Not only will these methods shrink your carbon footprint, they will save you money as well. What’s more, most preservation techniques are simple and can be fun.
For example, canning an excess of ripe apples and turning them into applesauce, or pickling fresh carrots from the market will provide you with a delicious and long-lasting treat that even kids will enjoy.
4. Don’t Be a Perfectionist
Did you know that rummaging through a bin of apples until you find the most perfect-looking one contributes to food waste?
Though identical in taste and nutrition, so-called “ugly” fruits and vegetables get passed up for produce that is more pleasing to the eye.
The consumer demand for flawless fruits and vegetables has led major grocery chains to buy only picture-perfect produce from farmers. This leads to tons of perfectly good food going to waste.
It’s such a big issue that major grocery chains like Walmart and Whole Foods have started offering “ugly” fruits and vegetables at a discount in an attempt to reduce waste.
Do your part by choosing slightly imperfect produce at the grocery store, or better yet, directly from the farmer.
5. Keep Your Fridge Clutter-Free
You’ve probably heard the saying, “out of sight, out of mind.” This rings especially true when it comes to food.
While having a well-stocked fridge can be a good thing, an overly filled fridge can be bad when it comes to food waste.
Help avoid food spoilage by keeping your fridge organized so you can clearly see foods and know when they were purchased.
A good way to stock your fridge is by using the FIFO method, which stands for “first in, first out.”
For example, when you buy a new carton of berries, place the newer package behind the old one. This helps ensure that older food gets used, not wasted.