One third of the food produced worldwide is wasted. This is ridiculous, especially considering how many people are starving to death. Not to mention, when food goes to the landfill, it isn't able to decompose and produces greenhouse gases. It is important that we each do our part to reduce food waste. Here are some helpful tips on how to reduce food waste in your home.
1. Practice FIFO
First In, First Out. Keep older items in the front of your fridge and when you bring in new groceries, put them in the back. This ensures that items don't sit in the back of your fridge until past their expiration date.
2. Compost
Just because you can't eat something, doesn't mean it needs to end up in landfill. You can easily set up a compost bin in your kitchen, or a compost pile in your yard.
3. Split the Dish
Restaurants often serve portions that are way too large for one person to consume in one sitting. I used to take the leftovers home, thinking I would eat it later. But often I found it sitting for too long and I was forced to throw it out. If you don't want to take leftovers home, split the dish with a friend if you know portions are large.
4. Use A Grocery List and an Anti-Grocery List
Grocery stores have everything you can imagine. From things you need, to things you want, to things you didn't know even existed. It's important to make a grocery list so that you can quickly go in, grab what you need, and avoid impulse buys. Another great thing is an anti-grocery list. Make a list of things you shouldn't purchase. This will help you keep note of what foods you are constantly buying and not using up, and can help you reduce your food waste.
5. Buy What You Need
When trying out a new recipe, or with cooking in general, buy exactly what you need. If a recipe calls for half a cup of cashews, buy half a cup of cashews from bulk bins. Buying exactly what you need from fresh produce aisles and bulk bins will make sure that less food goes to waste.
These are some simple tricks that I have implemented myself to reduce food waste. As simple as they are, they make a huge difference.