Did you know that one-third of the food produced each year is wasted? (Source) This is 1.3 billion tons, and most of it is vegetables and fruits.
Food waste is a hot topic in our home. We seldom throw away food because a) we buy expensive products (organic and alternative), b) we have a large family (four children) and c) there are other things that can be overcooked.
If you are worried about how much food you waste each week, here are some suggestions on how to reduce it.
Tips to reduce food waste
Apply small parts
We give small portions to our children, because we do not know which food to eat and what to ask for more, and they simply refuse. It is safer for us to serve a second time if we have little to do and are still hungry.
Save the leftovers
Children are known for not finishing their meals. If they say they are not hungry, I do not want to force them to finish their dishes. Instead, we tell them it is all right, they should not finish their meal, but we will save the leftovers for the next lunch or dinner.
Sealed
There are other ways to reduce food waste if you buy or grow more food and can’t use it fast enough. Cooling, packing, salting and drying are great ways to preserve food so you can waste a little and still get your refrigerator or pantry back.
Prepare a versatile soup or stew
The simplest way to use whole grains is to make a simple soup when you are given extra vegetables or when I know I have leftover food in the fridge. Throw in vegetables, soups, meats and spices and you have a versatile diet. If you do not believe in enough cooking skills to make a soup, look for Pinterest for your ingredients and I guarantee you will find the right recipe for you.
Prepare homemade soup
If you have Mirepoix (carrots, onions, celery) you can make any kind of homemade soup. Vegetable infusion is easy, but if you have leftover meat such as chicken or turkey, just throw it away with myrrh and let it melt to make a much healthier bone broth. I usually cook my soup on the stove, but you can put it in a pot quickly to speed up the process.
Roasted vegetables
If your vegetables are too soft, try to ripen them, rather than throw them away. Cooking vegetables not only tastes better but also makes them more irritating. Drizzle with oil and basic spices such as salt, pepper and garlic.
Prepare a smoothie
If you have overcooked fruits, soft ripening is a great idea. At the same time, when I have a lot of brown bananas, I peel them, cut them in half and refrigerate them. Then, whenever I want to make a smoothie, I take out one of them.
Sweet Bake
Excessively ripe fruits are also suitable for cooking desserts. From banana bread to chocolate zucchini bread and fruit cobbler, your overcooked fruits have the perfect recipe.
Choose the right storage
How long you store food plays an important role. If your refrigerator drawers do not allow you to store enough food, use airtight containers to store food in the closet or on the shelf.
Plan your meal
Planning a meal for the week not only saves you money and time but also helps you buy the right amount of food and prioritize your diet. Plan to use fresh vegetables early in the week to avoid spoilage and keep ingredients on the shelf during the week. ይመልከቱ See my recipes}.
Once you have your meal ready, you can start the week by cutting, harvesting, or pre-cooking the meat. This will reduce the amount of time you spend preparing dinner each night and will help you avoid wasting food in the fridge.
Compost
If the food is no longer used, you can always make fertilizer. In our last house, we had a big pile of compost to dump all the spoiled food. And since I cook most of the food from scratch, we have a lot of junk. All the skins, the cows, the skins, and the seeds have all come into this pile and we have used the mud to grow tomatoes. If you do not have space or interest in compost pile in your backyard, you can put compost in your backyard pool (small and clean) or in a small container in your kitchen.
Feed pets or pets
We do not have pets, but many people eat a piece of tableware on their property to avoid food waste and to save pets.
Mass cooking
If you have a lot of unhealthy foods, spend two hours cooking them all in one day. I usually make two pots and freeze one plate at night. Overeating can not only waste food but also make the most of your time.
Use leftover food for lunch
The food left over in our home is like gold. They make me eat lunch all day and make it easy for me to send my wife to do something useful.