Save the Earth with Every Meal

 Watching and preventing the amount of food waste you produce is the easiest and most powerful way you can save money as well as the earth! Reduce and prevent food waste and save the planet at every meal with these handy sustainable tips:

• Plan your meals and prevent impulse purchasing

A full fridge is often the aim after a shopping trip, however, shopping without a plan often leads to waste. Before buying food for the week, sit down and make a rough meal plan where you can consider the shelf life of the items you need to buy.

• Learn how to store food correctly

Roughly two-thirds of household waste in the UK is due to food spoilage. Most individuals do not know how to correctly store fruits and vegetables to extend their shelf life, leading to premature ripening and, eventually, rotten produce.

• Preserve your food

Food preservation techniques have been used for thousands of years to extend the shelf life of food and prevent waste. Fermenting and pickling won’t only help you shrink your carbon footprint massively but will also help you save some cash.

• Donate your unwanted food

8.4 million people in the UK are in food poverty, leaving food in the back of your cupboard to spoil should not be an option. When donating your food items, you not only support your local and uplift your local community but also feed humans instead of landfills.

• Think before you bin

While mold is a clear sign that food is past its prime, it's important to not frivolously throw food out just because it's one day past its best-by-date. Try and repurpose or freeze food that may be on its way out such as using greens or veggies that may be wilting to create a smoothie or soup.

• Keep a waste log

Writing down the foods you throw away can help you massively cut down the waste. This log will help you identify the foods you can cut back on buying and could give you great insight into your food and health patterns.

• Compost If You Can

Not only does composting cut down on your garden and fertilizer costs (if you have any), but it's also the most environmentally friendly method of disposing of kitchen and garden waste. By composting your organic waste, you are reducing your contribution to landfills and incineration and thus are reducing your carbon footprint.