4 Ways to reduce food waste for a better life

How to reduce food waste

Food waste does not only come from households, but also from markets, restaurants, to large companies that cannot be controlled easily.

From now on, try to reduce food waste from yourself.

By reducing the waste of your own leftovers, you contribute to reducing food waste, even saving expenses.

Here are some ways to reduce leftover food waste at home:

1. Shop wisely

One way to reduce food waste that is quite effective is to shop wisely.

Most people may feel that shopping for their daily necessities in bulk, aka in large quantities at one time, is an effective way.

In fact, this method is considered to only waste more food and beverage stocks.

For example, suppose you buy a large quantity of bread in stock. However, because you are too busy, you forget that the food is still neatly stored in the cupboard.

Unfortunately, the bread turned out to be moldy so it was no longer fit for consumption and inevitably thrown away.

Therefore, according to Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ., try to use some of the tips below to reduce food waste through monthly shopping:

Buy what you need.
Make a list of what items to spend.
Buy fresh produce, such as meat or fish just before going to the checkout.
Shop at the market in the morning because during the day the food quality decreases.

2. Storing food properly

Apart from shopping wisely, another way to reduce food waste is to store food properly.

This is because when you don't store food where it should be, it spoils faster. Stale food will of course be thrown away even before its expiration date arrives.

For example, suppose you put raw meat and fruit in the same place.

This turns out to be able to make your fruits become contaminated with bacteria that come from the meat so that they rot more quickly.

In addition, you also need to pay attention to the temperature of the refrigerator because at certain temperatures bacteria and mold can still grow in your food.

Therefore, following some of the tips below may help you save your food.

Store fresh fruit and vegetable products at temperatures below 4 ° C.
Place raw meat in a closed container and separate from other food.
Separating foods that release ethylene gas from other foods, such as bananas, avocados, and tomatoes.
Do not store potatoes, tomatoes and garlic in the refrigerator.
Store leftovers in clear containers so they are visible and you don't forget.

By applying these tips, the food that you store in the refrigerator will be more durable and can be used for a long time.

You also become more economical and don't waste food ingredients.

3. Make compost from leftovers

Not only paying attention to how to store food and shop carefully, food waste can be reduced by turning it into fertilizer.

Besides being useful for your plants, this method is actually quite effective in reducing waste food waste that is wasted.

Maybe you think that making fertilizer requires a garden or a large outdoor space. However, it turns out that you can make compost from leftovers on the table in your own home.

You can start by making compost from leftover vegetables, coffee, or tea. That way, you can make a pretty real difference in reducing the amount of food waste.

4. There is no need to be too 'perfectionist'

Source: Verde Community Farm and Market

What the word perfectionist means here is that you don't have to be too looking for foods that are flawless.

This means that in terms of taste and nutritional content, even fruit or vegetables that look unattractive are actually the same as those that look perfect from the outside.

Many supermarkets have admitted that they only take fresh products that will look attractive to consumers.

This is because most buyers choose fruit and vegetables that are flawless.

As a result, many fruits and vegetables that may contain the same nutrients and vitamins as the ones you chose are discarded because they are not eye-catching.

Some shops have implemented a system of discounting prices for fruits or vegetables that seem unattractive to reduce food waste.

If you want to reduce food waste, make it a habit to buy products whose quality meets standards even if they look unattractive.

You can also buy directly from farmers to reduce food waste, which is actually quite good quality.

Actually, there are still many ways to reduce food waste so as not to pollute the environment.

The key, how do you treat food, whether you can appreciate the food or just throw it away without thinking.