3 Easy Ways to Eliminate Food Waste at Home

We’ve all been there: the forgotten fruit, the obscure ingredient, the perishable product hidden in the back of the fridge. These were all bought with the best intentions, only to end up thrown away. When it comes to eating clean and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, we all know the importance of the food you eat. But what happens to the food we don’t eat? 

Research from the United Nations estimates that over one-third of food produced globally is thrown away each year! This contributes to over-farming, pollution, and other environmental issues. Although this is a big problem, the solutions can start right at home. Here are a few simple, everyday tips to fight against food waste and ensure that we all live a healthy lifestyle on a planet free of toxins and waste.

Compost with Conviction

If you aren’t already, start composting. Composting is a simple and easy way to make sure food doesn’t get thrown out, and it can even be fun. Fruits and vegetables make up the highest percentage of wasted food, yet they are the easiest to compost. Many towns and cities are starting to collect compost as part of garbage disposal, making it easy to dispose of organic materials. Even if you don’t live in a place that does this, you can find many farms or stores that will take your compost. You can even use your compost to help your gardening and farming if you grow your own food or plants! 

Take Meal Planning Seriously 

Meal planning can be time consuming, but it ultimately can save you a lot of wasted food  (and time) in the end. Taking time at the beginning of the week to plan each day’s meal can help you be more mindful of the groceries you buy. This way, you know the exact amount of groceries you need for each meal. Food delivery services are a great option for this as well. They regularly deliver the exact amount of food you need for each recipe on a regular basis, helping to ensure that no food gets wasted after your cooking.

Get Creative

If all else fails and you’re still left with excess food, get creative! Work with what you have and see if you can come up with a delicious meal out of it. This is great for families too! Get the kids involved and brainstorm ideas for what to make- who knows, you might come up with a new favorite meal!  This also teaches them the importance of not wasting food at a young age.

Although food waste is a massive problem globally, there is a lot that we can do at home to help fight it. Follow these tips to help us live in a healthy, clean, and waste-free world. What steps do you take to ensure that you don’t waste food? Drop a comment below. 

 

Cassie Steele