Minimising food waste at home
Globally more than 1/3 of all food is wasted. That’s 1.3 billion tonnes every year according to The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. Food waste contributes 8% of the world Green House Gas Emissions and according to the Stop Food Waste website we generate at least 1 million tonnes of food waste each year here in Ireland. Most of us are unaware of where the food we waste actually ends up, so we don’t fully understand the direct and indirect consequence. The worst case is that food waste is collected and then either disposed of in landfill or incinerated. Less than half is recycled into biogas and compost, or reused for animal feed within the EU. (Source- Bord Bia)
PLAN YOUR MEALS
Structuring my meals has made such difference to minimising my food waste. Planning what I am going to eat and adhering to a structure for a few days a week has led to so much more balance in my lifestyle and also helped me reduce any excess food going to waste unnecessarily. On Friday’s and at the weekends I go with the flow and allow for spontaneity whether it’s catching up with a friend and enjoying a meal safely or a few glasses of wine and balance things out.
USE FROZEN FRUIT
If I have fruit that’s about to turn I always chop it and pop it into the freezer so it’s ready for a quick smoothie or dessert. I generally buy frozen fruit as it last so much longer so I can stock up. Freezing helps retain the nutrient content of fruits and vegetables however, some nutrients begin to break down when frozen produce is stored for more than a year.
Some brands even have plastic free packaging so it’s a win:win situation.
Bananas and avocados also freeze so well - just ensure to peel, or remove the shell and chop them up before freezing.
Buy Products That Use Sustainable Packaging
Understanding recycling takes a while to get used to but reading so many labels of bags of nuts and seeds that only after purchasing and realising they are ‘unsuitable for recycling’ has made me change my consumer habits. I try, where possible, to get what I can in Zero Waste stores. Thankfully vegan diet staples typically have a long shelf life so items I use regularly like hemp and chia seeds, nuts, pulses, dairy free milks and tofu can be stocked up on and stored for months.
If a similar product is available in easily recyclable packaging I will buy with that in mind now and look for glass or compostable packaging where possible.
Look For Products With A Longer ‘Shelf Life’
I love Kale and actually have a gorgeous kale salad recipe coming to the site in a few weeks. I also love that it lasts so long. There have been quite a few times I have bought bags of salad only to find they have gone off within a few days and end up in my compost. Kale typically lasts in my fridge at least 5 days. It I feel it’s about to turn I can just pop it into the freezer ready to add to a smoothie or stir fry when I need it.
TAKE TWO EVENINGS A WEEK TO PREPARE YOUR PRODUCE
Typically on a Sunday I will wash and chop my vegetables for the next few days. This is a really simple habit that has made such a difference to making a quick dinner and now a healthy stir fry takes less than 15 minutes once the chopping is done - faster than a take away for sure! It also clearly shows me what I have and I can see what I might need to pick up at a glance.
COMPOST EFFECTIVELY
Separating my waste at home was more of a process, rather than an event, and sometimes I found myself wading through the bin trying to remove something unsuitable. By far what has reduced the amount of waste and also any unsavoury kitchen smells is the Green Aware Compostable liners. They are so convenient to use and mean I don’t need to wash out my countertop caddy all the time making things much more efficient in my kitchen.
They offer a range of environmentally- friendly, compostable refuse solutions from wheelie bin liners of all sizes and caddy liners through to garden waste sacks and dog waste bags. For me they are an easy eco-friendly choice without having to compromise on cost or quality. I honestly wish everyone used them as they are both durable, leak-resistant and also become compost within 4-6 weeks.