There are not many global issues you’d expect to solve at the kitchen table. But it’s precisely here, in kitchens around Australia and the world, that we can take on one of the big ones – climate change.
Wasting food feeds climate change. The food we waste produces 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions – if it were its own country, it would be the world’s third largest emitter! Not to mention, it’s throwing your money into the bin right next to those food scraps.
According to Food Innovation Australia Limited’s National Food Waste Strategy Feasibility Study, Australians waste around 7.6 million tonnes of food annually – equivalent to filling the MCG 10 times over. This equates to a figure of $36.6 billion, or $2500 per household, each year.
The good news? Food wasted at home is mostly avoidable.
Here are some changes that Fight Food Waste CRC suggests households can make to have an impact on their budget and the planet’s well-being.
1 – Save dough. And bread, too.
Bread is the most wasted food in Australia. So, rather than throwing out half a loaf at a time, pop it in the freezer while it is still fresh. Enjoy every slice by toasting straight from frozen or defrost for ten minutes for a sandwich.
2 – Leave no bran behind.
Before your next shop, first make a meal from ingredients you haven’t used up yet. Stir fry, pasta bake or a ‘bang anything in’ breakfast burrito can be made with a mixed melody of whatever you’ve got left. The Love Food Hate Waste website offers a library of recipes by leftover ingredient, if you are looking for inspiration.
3 – Send a text.
Know who’s eating before committing to chopping up more than you can chew, so to speak.
4 – Love your leftovers.
Keep leftovers in clear, airtight containers and pop them on the top shelf of the fridge ready for lunch; or freeze them if you won’t eat them in time.
5 – Don’t double up.
Take a quick check of what you already have before hitting the shops, write a list and (the hard but cost-saving part) stick to it.
Possibly the easiest way to prevent food waste is to create your own ‘circular economy’: put your scraps in the compost bin, then use the compost to grow your own vegetables. Just pick what you need – no more wasting food or money.
