10 Tips to Avoid Food Waste

We've all done it.  Opened up the fridge ready to take out that lovely head of lettuce, only to find out that it has gone limp, slimy and brown.  Or we've found that container at the back of the fridge that looks like our kids' science experiment.

A recent report showed that a third to one half of all food grown around the world is wasted!   It happens because we load our plates with giant portions we can never finish and it gets thrown away.  Some food is spoiled even before it gets to the stores - at the farm level, through manufacturing and shipping.

However, the worst statistic is that fully 51% of food waste comes from our homes.  Our food rots in our fridge because we don't use it in time or store it properly.

It is estimated that the average Canadian family wastes approximately $2200 worth of food each year, which translates to 40% of the food that each household purchases.   Calculate that to a country, that works out to $27 billion worth of food every year in Canada alone, or 20 pounds of food per person, per month.

Here are 10 tips to help you reduce the amount of food thrown away from your home.

1. Buy only what you need. North Americans do grocery shopping once a week, and then wonder why our fresh foods don't last.  Take a tip from the Europeans - go to the market more frequently, or if that's not possible plan out your meals ahead of time so you only buy what you know you'll use.
2. When you get your groceries home, sort out your fresh produce and store appropriately.  Not everything needs to go in the fridge, and not everything needs to be washed before storing.  Some foods will spoil faster because they were washed because washing removes the outer layer, causing faster ripening, and wetness encourages mold growth. Wait and wash until just before eating.  Some foods like potatoes, onions and tomatoes will have their flavour ruined by the cold of the fridge.  Check out this handy chart for recommended storage of fruits and vegetables.
3. Keep in mind the specific ways you like to eat your fruits and veggies and prep fresh food as soon as you get it into the kitchen, making it much less likely you’ll let it spoil.  Keep your fridge organized so food is visible in your fridge making it less likely you'll miss seeing it. Some fruits and veggies produce a gas called ethylene as they ripen. This gas can prematurely ripen foods that are sensitive to it, so keep ethylene-producing foods away from ethylene-sensitive foods. Click here to get a list of fruits and veggies to store separately.
4. Buying from your local farmer reduces the shipping and storage time.  Not only will it mean that your food will last longer, but you will get more nutrients from your food and you will be lessening your environmental footprint.
5. If you want to make fresh herbs last, freeze and preserve fresh herbs in olive oil. The herbs will infuse the oil while freezing, and the ice cubes are very handy for cooking: just pop one out and use as the base of a dish. Works best with rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano. Dill, basil, and mint should always be used fresh.
6. When you have a meal with leftovers, store them in portion sized containers instead of one large dish.  Not only will this save time in the morning when you're heading out the door, but you can freeze individual portions for use at a later time.
7. Watch expiration dates of fresh food when you shop. Try to estimate how long it will take to use up the product, and pick the expiry date that will work best for you.  Make sure that when you buy a new food item, you pull the unfinished one forward in the pantry cupboard or refrigerator so that the older item is finished first. Every now and then do a sweep of the food to bring forward all items that are getting near their use-by date.
8. Did you know that  adding a dab of butter to the cut side of cheese will prevent it from drying out?   Also, be sure to wrap it in wax paper (not plastic) and then place it into a reusable baggie and store it in the warmest area of your fridge (i.e., not your chiller drawer)
9. Meat & poultry should be kept in its original package if you're going to be using it within 2 days. (Re-wrapping increases the risk of exposing the food to harmful bacteria.) Otherwise, store it in airtight packaging  and freeze. Bacon can be frozen for up to a month.  Fish should be kept in a bag on top of a bowl of ice and eaten as soon as possible. You can also freeze fish or broil it and store in the fridge.
10. Contrary to popular belief, storing bread in the fridge actually makes it spoil more quickly. Best bet? Store bread on the kitchen counter in a tightly sealed bag or container. Transfer pasta, bags of cereal and other dry foods into air-tight containers after opening the original packaging.  Mason jars make great airtight pantry storage.  This will help you avoid tossing away stale food.

If you do notice any rotten produce, compost it immediately before it starts to spoil the rest of the produce, then clean your fridge.  Once something goes bad in your fridge or cupboards, it leaves behind a nice gang of mold ready to eat up your new food. Disinfect the fridge — it’ll make everything last a little longer.

What are your tips for reducing food waste?