Today marks World Food Day, an occasion in which the world comes together to help eradicate hunger in our lifetime. All too often, it’s very easy to forget that there are 795,000,000 people in the world who do not have enough food to survive on, particularly when we have so much.
Our over-consumption of food, particularly meat, in the West has led to organic waste contributing more CO2 than the transport industry combined, which is why ZAAR is supporting the Wastewater Science project. The project aims to build a compact wastewater treatment to help clean up the environment and recycle water. And you can find out more about it here.
The problem remains, however, that we simply waste too much food – food that could help save a child’s life or even a whole family’s… So what can we do in our day-to-day lives to waste less food?
Tip #1: Most of us buy more food than we will actually consume. To stop wasting food – and save money in the process – always check what you have at home before going shopping.
Tip #2: Get to know your fridge and always read the instructions on food packaging. Why? A lot of food is wasted because it’s stored improperly, or because the fridge’s temperature is set too high. A fridge’s temperature should be 1-5°C.
Tip #3: Most households throw away food because they’ve cooked too much. Learn to properly estimate how much of an ingredient you’ll need and if you still have extra, freeze it for a rainy day.
Tip #4: Have you got a garden? Feed it with everything from uncooked vegetables and fruit peelings, to teabags, coffee grounds, eggshells and small amounts of paper and soft cardboard. It’s a healthy, natural and free fertiliser.
Tip #5: Knowing what you have in your pantry can save you a ton of money by using food within its use-by date. Give yourself 20 minutes every week to check the dates on the packaging and plan your meals around them. Less waste and more money!
Tip #6: Got too many vegetables in the fridge? Don’t leave them there to rot. Instead, pickle them and use them in salads or as a side to the traditional hobza biz-zejt!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2e7oWdAP00
Tip #7: The fridge often becomes a cemetery for inedible foods as they’ve gone past their use-by dates or have been forgotten at the very back. Remember that most of us work on a first-in, first-out policy when it comes to the fridge, so don’t over-stuff it with things!
Tip #8: If you’ve got a lot of food, or have too many leftovers, throw a party and invite your friends round.
Tip #9: Canned food can be donated to various missionary organisations that regularly send food to those who are less fortunate than us. So eat whatever’s fresh and will go off soon, and send your canned food to those who need it more.
Got any more tips on how to save food? Let us know in the comments section!