Food waste is food that is not eaten and just ends up being thrown away. This can happen at any point in the food supply chain; for example: production, processing, transport, retailing, storage and consumption. It is a waste of resources and damages the environment. Here are some ways you can prevent food waste.

Avoid Buying Too Much

Before you buy any food, make an honest assessment of whether you are likely to eat it before it goes bad. Check whether you already have any of the same item and what you need it for. If you plan your meals for the week and buy accordingly, you are less likely to end up with food waste.

Store Carefully

Once you have your food, put it away with care to avoid damaging it. Damage might lead to it going off before you can use it and mean you have to throw it away. In addition, take care to read the storage instructions on the packet and follow them.

Use Leftovers

If you do have any leftovers, don’t immediately throw them away! Maybe you could have them as a cold lunch the next day, or maybe they could be reused in another recipe.

Buy Imperfect Goods

Fruits and vegetables come in a range of shapes and sizes, but people often pick the ones that look “best”. Choose oddly-shaped vegetables or fruits with minor damage, as these will be thrown away by the store otherwise.

Compost

If you really can’t avoid throwing out some food, it still doesn’t have to go to waste. Instead, start a compost heap for leftovers so that you can reuse them in your garden or yard.