SpliFF
- Fridges tend to hide a lot of food - it gets pushed to the back and forgotten until such time that the
fridge is cleaned or an awful smell starts emanating from it. Check your fridge weekly and bring foods
that will expire soon to the front (in retail this is called stock rotation) to encourage family members to
eat it, or use as ingredients in the next meal you cook.
- Likewise, do the same in your food cupboards regularly - we cleaned out our pantry prior to moving
and the amount of food we threw out was shocking.
- While buying in bulk can save you money, it can cost you more if you purchase items in large quantities with a short use-by date or that lose favor with your family. Only bulk purchase items you know will
be consumed before the food spoils.
- Discourage "dreg ignorance". In many cupboards and fridges, it's not unusual to find packets of chips
with just a handful left, or just a swallow of orange juice left in the container. It usually sits there until it's
thrown out. Implement a strict "No Dregs Left Behind!" policy for your home.
- Supermarkets are designed with one thing in mind - to get you buying more that what you originally
came in for. Resist impulse buying as the extras you purchase will only be tacked onto the list of what
you need rather than replacing an item, so the risk is something will be wasted as a result.
- Don't shop from memory. I used to have a great memory when it came to shopping, but as the years
roll by I find that no matter how hard I try, I cannot remember all the things I need to buy. This results in
me buying too much of one thing and not enough of another - and waste sometimes occurs.
- Consider planning meals well in advance. This way you can ensure you have the ingredients you need
on hand and can reduce superfluous spending and waste.
- Improper storage generates massive amounts of food waste. Leaving packets open, refrigerating stuff
that doesn't require it and vice versa rapidly speeds up food spoilage. Ensure you have the right tools
for the job such as airtight containers etc. It's worth spending a bit of money on proper storage containers as cheap ones simply won't last the distance, adding more waste to food related issues in your
home.
- Portion control. No doubt there's particular meals you prepare that seem to generate more waste than
others. That's fine if the leftovers will be eaten the next day, but if not, then you really need to look at
portion control by slowly reducing the amount you cook of whatever it is with the help of kitchen scales
until you hit a sweet spot where bellies aren't left grumbling, nor stuffed to capacity.
- Get creative - use the Interne