Saving By Reducing Food Waste

The average cost of buying the food listed above is €12.50. This may not seem like a lot once off, but over time it adds up. Throwing this amount of food out weekly would cost the average household around €700 every year. Whatever you throw out, wasting food will cost you.

We all have a part to play in reducing food waste if we are involved in:

• Planning the shopping

• Doing the shopping

• Doing the cooking

• Storing our food away

This is what we can do.

In Planning

• Keep a list of what you need to get as it runs out/comes close to running out

• Get familiar with recipes so that ingredients (e.g. left over) can be used iun other meals (rather than being thrown out)

• Make a meal plan for the week alongside a dhopping list – that way, you don’t end up buying things that don’t get used, spoil and have to be thrown out

• Take a week and put your food waste in a separate bin – this will let you see what you waste. You will be surprised

• Take time out to reflect on how much you need per week – as opposed to what you actually get

In Shopping

• When you go into the store, head for the back (where the essentials are)

• Beware of falling for special deals on goods you wont be able to eat before they spoil

• Don’t shop when you arte hungry – you are inclined to eat more

• Check the dates on food (so they you don’t have a lot of food that is just about to expire

• Try online shopping – you may be less distracted into buying unnecessary items

• Avoid being tempted to buy the items you see as you are waiting at the checkout

• If you have a shopping list and you stick to it, you wont fall for all the retailer tricks

Storage

• Look at your dates. ‘Best before’ is a guideline. Use your judgement. ‘Use by’ is a deadline.

• Keep food in its packaging – usually it gives information (like cooking, storage, expiry) that is useful

• Put the newer items at the back of the cupboard in the kitchen

In Cooking

There are many ways to prepare your food without wasting it. Make sure to get value from your food and avoid the mistakes we can all make. Know your portions Use websites, measuring tools or weighing scales. No matter how you do it, try to measure out your food portions. Mix and match Try cooking with ingredients that you can use in different ways, for different meals. Freestyle it! Don’t be too worried about following perfect recipes. Get creative and throw whatever you have together. Wraps and curries are great for this. Know your dates Use-by date: food can be eaten, cooked or frozen up to the end of this date but not after. Best before date: food will be safe to eat after this date but may not be at its best.

Beware hungry cook We tend to cook too much when hungry. Pay attention to portions when cooking on an empty stomach. Throwing out food? If you are throwing cooked food away, ask yourself why it was wasted. Understanding and taking note of your food waste is important to effectively reduce it. No meal plan Trying to dream up what to cook day after day can be draining. Make your meal plan for the week at the weekend and avoid the ongoing “what will I have for dinner?” dilemma. Straight to the bin - think again Before you go to the bin with unused food, ask yourself a few simple questions:

• Can I freeze it and use it later?

• Can I use the leftovers for another meal, such as tomorrow’s lunch?

• Is there someone else who might want it? Remember, you don’t have to be a gourmet chef to make the most of your food.

Resources

Stop Food Waste has a library of resources that can be accessed and downloaded so that you can start to make savings by minimising and eliminating food waste. Just click on this link.