It all starts with a thought. While millions of homeless people around the globe suffer from malnutrition, we’re blessed to have an overflow of food supplies throughout the year. While it’s not just about malnutrition and food, making smart lifestyle changes can save your pockets from wasting unnecessarily. Look at these twelve intelligent ways to reduce food wastage and wisely store food.
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Pick What Is Required
While you may be at the store to pick a few carrots, you will be amused with shiny cucumbers and end up buying more cucumbers than carrots. Cucumbers and carrots will always be available at any store. Before you get tempted to pick up any food item that you see at the store, think and introspect if you need that item.
Jot Down The Requirements
While this may sound obvious to you, making a list of all that you need will save your time at the store. You will not forget to purchase the essential items and will be quick in picking them up without having to make difficult choices. With a list, you will be firm in picking only the items in the shopping list, thereby reducing the possibility of food wastage.
Switch To Frozen Fruits And Vegetables
While eating fresh fruits and vegetables is healthy, frozen fruits and vegetables are a good option for increased shelf life. You can make equal portions, wrap these items in plastic bags or wraps, and it’s an intelligent way to store these food items and use them whenever you need them.
Beware Of Discounts
While items like dental hygiene, toilet paper, detergents, and soaps can be brought in bulk, buying fresh food items in massive quantities because they offer a discount is risky. Shopkeepers often sell items at reduced prices or for deals when they’re nearing their expiration date.
Learn About The Storage Temperature
Every food item has an optimal storage temperature, and a change in this temperature can cause the food items to become home to microbes and spoilage. For instance, green leafy vegetables, milk, and fish need lower temperature storage, and these food items can harbor microbes and lead to spoilage if not stored under appropriate conditions. While bananas, citrus fruits, and onions should be at room temperature or in a cool pantry.
Audit Your Fridge
We’re often busy with our work and end up quashing everything in the fridge until we realize there is enough for an entire week. Clear your fridge every week and make a thorough list of all available for you to use. A smart move is to create sections in your kitchen, keep spaces for fruits, vegetables, and leftovers. Make sure not to mix these items to avoid cross-contamination and utilize the leftovers within four days.
Use Tupperware
Do not dump your food in the refrigerator without proper storage. Instead, using Tupperware, especially glass containers, is more advisable because they increase the shelf-life of the stored food. You can even store weekly meals if you’re a working person and store it safely so that you can consume them with ease after a long day.
Do Not Throw Away The Vegetable Peels
Compositing is a great way to produce organic fertilizer, which you can use in your garden. Store the wet waste and leftovers for over a month and mix them with soil to undergo natural composting.
Reinvent Food
Sometimes we end up cooking more than the required servings. Instead of discarding the extra food, reinvent it and put it for better use. For instance, if you have extra rice, chop some veggies, add some chicken or prawns, and turn the leftover plain rice into fried rice.
The Bottom Line
Minimizing food waste can help put more money into your pocket! You can also compost certain foods to help enhance the soil in your garden. There are many reasons why you should consider the points above and try to minimize the amount of waste your family produces each year. Do your best to try and put the tips above to use and see if it makes a difference on your grocery bill over time.
