On National Stop Food Waste Day 2023, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, highlighted the important role that each of us can play in reducing food waste.
Yes, we must do better at an individual level… and do you know why?
Because over 50% of the food waste volume happens at consumption level... you and I buying too much, ordering too much, forgeting to cook stuff that is in our fridges and cupboards... trusting that BBE and expiry dates have to be followed religiously when, quite frankly, these are more like guidelines than anything else... use your nose, folks! 😉
➖What are you doing to reduce your food waste?
My 2c:
✔️Audit your waste - Keep receipts and compare them with the things you end up wasting you can see the true cost of your food waste.
✔️Know what you have – Check your cupboards, fridge + freezer, check ‘use by’ dates, focus on what you need to restock.
✔️Plot out your recipes – Think about what you want to eat in the coming days using meals that include ingredients you already have.
✔️Meal Match – Include recipes with similar ingredients you can plan to use up fresh produce, e.g.: spinach in a curry for dinner tonight and using the rest up in a salad for tomorrow’s lunch.
✔️Take a ‘shelfie’ – Add to a shopping list as you run out of products is a great way to keep track of what you need.
✔️Keep a running tally – Take note of what runs out day-to-day using a kitchen notepad or chalkboard, or the Notes App in your phone.
As they say, every little helps!
Yes, we must do better at an individual level… and do you know why?
Because over 50% of the food waste volume happens at consumption level... you and I buying too much, ordering too much, forgeting to cook stuff that is in our fridges and cupboards... trusting that BBE and expiry dates have to be followed religiously when, quite frankly, these are more like guidelines than anything else... use your nose, folks! 😉
➖What are you doing to reduce your food waste?
My 2c:
✔️Audit your waste - Keep receipts and compare them with the things you end up wasting you can see the true cost of your food waste.
✔️Know what you have – Check your cupboards, fridge + freezer, check ‘use by’ dates, focus on what you need to restock.
✔️Plot out your recipes – Think about what you want to eat in the coming days using meals that include ingredients you already have.
✔️Meal Match – Include recipes with similar ingredients you can plan to use up fresh produce, e.g.: spinach in a curry for dinner tonight and using the rest up in a salad for tomorrow’s lunch.
✔️Take a ‘shelfie’ – Add to a shopping list as you run out of products is a great way to keep track of what you need.
✔️Keep a running tally – Take note of what runs out day-to-day using a kitchen notepad or chalkboard, or the Notes App in your phone.
As they say, every little helps!
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