Love food, reduce waste

Reducing household waste is a goal that many of us already share – and that’s a good thing! But, while reusing and recycling are increasingly becoming an everyday routine, food waste remains an area that often slips by the wayside.  Globally, humans produce an estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food waste each year [1]– a staggering statistic that has an impact not only on our planet, but also on our wallets. And that’s before you even consider the packaging that goes along with it.

The good news is, you can take some simple steps to reduce food waste in your own home.

Step 1: Buy less

The first action you can take happens before food even gets to your kitchen. Next time you’re out shopping, challenge yourself to focus on buying only what you truly need. Write a list, and be realistic about what you and your family will actually eat. Reducing what we purchase in the first place is a great way to reduce waste.

Step 2: Use it up

Once your kitchen’s stocked, it’s time to get creative about using the food you have. Try the simple tips below and think outside the bin!

• Be flexible with the meals you create. Leftover beans? Turn them into a breakfast burrito. Extra veggies in the fridge that need using up? Whip up a lunch-time omelette. Fruit languishing in the bowl? Dish it up with some delicious EasiYo homemade yogurt – we’ve got plenty of recipe ideas right here.
• Keep veggies fresh by pre-cutting and storing them in in airtight containers. You’re more likely to use them, and there’s the added bonus of saving room in the fridge.
• If you’re not sure when you’ll be eating something, freeze it. A label maker is your friend here!
• Make your next meal a pantry challenge. Get the kids to see what they think could be made with the food you already have, and talk to them about why it’s important to reduce food waste.

Lunches can be a significant source of food waste too. As parents and caregivers, we never want our little ones to go hungry but it can be easy to overestimate how much they’ll eat. EasiYo reusable yogurt pouches are a great way to minimise lunchtime food waste. Each pouch holds 130mL of delicious homemade EasiYo yogurt, the perfect amount for little tummies. You can even keep make the pouches up beforehand and pop them in the freezer until they’re ready to be used. Grab a set right here.

Step 3: Give it a second life

So, you’ve bought less, you’ve eaten everything you can but there’s still food that simply can’t be used. Don’t worry, there’s one more opportunity to divert it from the waste cycle – create your own compost! It’s nature’s way of recycling, and it’s also the perfect solution for extra food scraps. There are loads of options these days from backyard bins to worm composting. Do a bit of research and you’ll find the perfect solution for you and your family.

Last but not least: Do it together

Changing your habits for the better doesn’t have to be a solo pursuit! Rally your family and friends to get take up the challenge and change together. Rather than making food waste reduction feel like another chore, have fun and celebrate all the small wins along the way. At the end of the day, it’s all the little things we do that can make a great big difference.

[1] Source:  Food & Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/196402/icode/)