Unfortunately, the modern food system has a huge waste problem. Each year, a third of all the food produced in the world, 1.3 billion tons, ends up in waste. Waste that also fuels climate change since it represents more than 5% of greenhouse gas emissions, so we have to put all our efforts to avoid wasting food and for this, nothing like applying practical advice to avoid waste of food from a recent study that has been done.
Practical tips to avoid food waste
To assess the problem of food waste in the world, the OZHarvest (Australian association to combat food waste) conducted an investigation in more than 1600 families, aware that one of the largest sites of food waste is the home . In fact, in Australia , families throw away around 2.5 million tonnes of food each year, the equivalent of the value between $ 2,000 / $ 2,500 per family per year.
Therefore, research has identified the six most effective behaviors anyone can adopt to reduce waste. Small changes that can make a big difference if applied on a large scale, given how much food is wasted each year.
The three main behaviors with the greatest impact on reducing food waste and that are also relatively easy to implement are :
- Make one meal a week at home that combines the foods to eat before throwing them away.
- Choose a shelf in your refrigerator or pantry to store food that needs to be eaten as soon as possible.
- Before cooking a meal, check who’s going to eat at home to make sure only the right amount is prepared.
However, three other behaviors that require a bit more effort are:
- Conduct a weekly review of household food waste and set reduction goals.
- Create a shopping list and stick to it strictly when shopping.
- Make a meal plan for three to four consecutive days.
Finally, the last three behaviors that, although useful, require a greater effort on the part of consumers without being significant in the fight against waste:
- Save perishable foods with pickles, sauces, or stews for later use.
- Buy food at local specialty stores (such as neighborhood greengrocers and butchers) rather than large supermarkets.
- Save food scraps or chunks (like bones and shells) to freeze for future use, such as composting or otherwise.
So these are just a few tips to combat food waste, and each of us should try to do our part. In fact, if we try not to waste so much food, we will also be helping to fight the climate crisis.