Food waste is a major problem in America, many researchers estimate that half of all food produced is simply thrown out despite being usable. There are plenty of effective ways to reduce food waste today. Follow the three tips below to help reduce food waste.
Composting
Composting is an effective way to reduce waste. Scraps like vegetable peels, coffee grounds, make great compost ingredients. Even if you don’t tend to your own garden (flowers, herbs, vegetables, or otherwise), a fresh batch of compost makes a great gift for someone who does. Maybe you even know someone who’s looking to get into composting that you could provide plenty of raw materials to.
Planning
A major part of individual food waste is a lack of planning. While getting things in bulk is a great way to cut down on bills and occasionally packaging, it doesn’t particularly matter if most of what you’ve just bought is going into the trash.
Construct a meal plan and try to stick to it as best you can. Not only will save money by not throwing out food you don’t use, you’re also more likely to eat healthier and do more of your own cooking instead of ordering out. It’s a win on all fronts.
Donating
Donate unused or unwanted items instead of just throwing them out. There are plenty of people who would be more than happy to take your unused canned goods, possibly even the non-canned ones as well depending on where and to whom you’ll be donating. Considering food waste’s biggest victims are the people who are left to starve despite such an overabundance of goods, this is a great way to make a difference on the small scale.
While the problem of food waste isn’t one that can be solved overnight by individual action, you can do your part and use what you have more efficiently and effectively. Try to incorporate these three simple tips for reducing food waste into your daily life.
