Practical Ways you Can Reduce Food Waste and Save Money
More than one-third of all food produced globally is wasted or spoiled. Americans throw away up to 40% of the food they buy, and organic matter in landfills provides 20% of all methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes considerably to climate change.
Becoming more connected to your food will help you avoid waste. Whether you grow your own food or you're simply more conscious while you shop and cook, you're less likely to waste. Check out the extremely easy and practical tips below.
- Shop smart and realistically.
It sounds simple, but this is one of the most important things you can do. When you go food shopping, make sure you don't buy too much food. Plan out your meals and make a detailed shopping list with the ingredients you'll need. You should also try to purchase locally sourced produce and other food from places like your local farmer's market.
- When cooking, don't over-serve food.
Fight against that, and don't over-serve friends and family when you're cooking meals. Using small plates can help with that.
- Save – and eat– leftovers.
Label your leftovers so you can keep track of how long they've been in your fridge or freezer and incorporate them into your daily or weekly routine.
- Store food in the right places.
Storing food in the right place is really underrated. It's often surprising what kinds of fruits and vegetables want to be at room temperature versus in the refrigerator.
- Donate to food banks and farms.
Before you throw away excess food, look into food banks and charities where you can bring items you know you're not going to consume before they go bad, and give them to people in need.
- Try composting.
There's a solution for your home food waste that doesn't involve landfills: Composting! Rather than discarding scraps, you can compost certain foods and turn it into nutrient-rich fertilizer.
If you do not have space for an outdoor compost pile, you can compost materials indoors using The Ecofairy Home Composter Machine. This composter machine has a daily capacity of 11lbs, perfect for residential use and turning food waste into compost in 24 hours. This helps users divert food waste from the landfill, reduce the amount of methane gas generated from organic waste, and decrease carbon emissions and one’s carbon footprint.
At The Ecofairy, our goal is to help you build a more sustainable life by offering you a line of reusable products. We offer products that last and that will help you reduce the amount of plastic you use.