Disgusting - that's the only word to describe some of the things I find in the bottom of my vegetable crisper.
Mushy, plastic covered cucumbers, disintegrated zucchinis and dried up lettuce seem to be the main offenders, but there's also that meat I forgot to cook before the use by date.
Unfortunately, it would seem I'm not on my own. Here's some pretty scary statistics
- Australians discard up to 20% of the food they purchase
- This equates to 1 out of every 5 bags of groceries they buy
- Up to 40% of the average household garbage bin is food
- For the average Australian household $1,036 of food is thrown away each year
What could we have spent $1,036 on? It's enough to feed the average household for over a month or maybe pay off six months of your electricity bill.
Why do we waste food?
- We cook too much
- Food is mistakenly thrown out before the use-by/best before date
- We forget about leftovers in the fridge/freezer
- We don't know how to use leftovers
- We buy too much because we don't stick to a shopping list
- We often shop when we're hungry so we buy more food than we need
- We don't check the cupboard or fridge before going shopping
- We are not planning our meals and menus as much as we could
- Buying takeaways at the last minute instead of cooking the food we have in/family members changing plans
Here's some top tips to reduce this waste
- Make a shopping list and stick to it. Don't be swayed by the bright lights and clever marketing at the major chain stores.
- Check your diary before you shop to see what nights you are eating in or out with friends or family. This is my major falling point as I find things change so quickly in my household.
- Check the cupboards before hand to make sure you don’t buy anything you already have at home. Duh! This one is so simple but often forgotten. I should add always remember to take the list with you. :)
- Don’t be drawn in to offers that you don’t need
- Check use by and best before dates before you buy. I often reach to the back of the shelf to get newer produce. The difference can be big particularly in the milk cabinet.
- Make use of your leftovers and ensure any leftover food is stored correctly. I hope my daughter is reading this - she is hopeless at eating left overs.
Do Something About Food Waste infographic by lunchalot
Disclaimer: This information was supplied by Foodwise and Love Food Hate Waste
Disclaimer: This information was supplied by Foodwise and Love Food Hate Waste