Did you know that the average consumer in the Netherlands throws away 34 kilograms of food each year?¹ This is not only a waste of money but also of valuable environmental resources!² Fortunately, with a few small changes, much of this “waste” can be avoided or transformed into something delicious. If you're looking to reduce your household waste, here are five simple tips to help you get started:
1. Preparation is key
Planning is one of the easiest ways to prevent overbuying and subsequent waste! It can also save time and money. Take stock of what you already have and create a meal plan before heading to the shops.³ Be tactical when doing this and plan your week’s recipes around the same ingredients. I find Instagram and BBC Good Food a great place to find recipe inspiration. But if planning is not your thing, ChatGPT or the SuperCook website can be great! Just type in what ingredients you have, and they will provide some creative recommendations.
2. Ensure optimal storage
Did you know that potatoes can keep for up to 6 months when stored in a cool, dark place, versus just 2 weeks in the refrigerator?⁴ Knowing the best way to store your food is crucial in the battle against waste! You can do this by checking the optimal storage conditions of items online before putting them away. For instance, leafy greens are best in a plastic bag with a paper towel, while anything with a stem, like herbs or celery, thrives in a fresh jug of water.
3. Get creative with scraps
Just because something is looking a bit sad doesn’t mean it should be binned! With little effort, scraps can be made into something tasty. For example, stale bread, which is the most commonly tossed food, can be turned into bread crumbs or croutons. At the same time, vegetable peels can be saved up in the freezer and used to make soup or vegetable crisps.⁴ Scraps can also be avoided, for instance by eating the peels and stalks of vegetables - these parts are also highly nutritious.⁵
4. Use your freezer
Freezing is an easy and effective way to preserve food and prevent waste. Freeze fruit and veg that you don’t think you will eat in time - they will save their nutritional value and will come in handy for future meals!³ Veg, like broccoli and beans, can be blanched and then frozen ready for later use. While fruits, for instance, bananas, apples and blueberries, can be frozen as is, for use in smoothies or fruit crumbles.
5. Keep your “waste”
Finally, the inevitable fresh food scraps that you do produce are still valuable! Composting organic food scraps, like fruit and vegetable discards and coffee grounds, is a great way to preserve valuable nutrients for future growing.⁶ Alternatively, you could try regrowing from scraps. Things like spring onion roots, potato eyes and carrots can all sprout into new plants if left in the right conditions.⁴ This can be an enjoyable and affordable way to create a steady supply of fresh produce.
If you're keen to learn more, join our Monday mEETs! Here, we sample new and creative ways to use food scraps. Our experiments range from making coffee out of date seeds to creating fertilizer from banana peels, offering a great chance to share ideas and meet new people. The event takes place every Monday from 17:00 to 22:00 at Plantage Doklaan 8 in Amsterdam. To get involved, simply sign up via the volunteer sheet on WhatsApp.
References:
¹ Centre, N. N. (2020, June). Consumer food waste fact sheet. Retrieved from https://www.voedingscentrum.nl/Assets/Uploads/voedingscentrum/Documents/Service/English/Factsheet%20Food%20waste.pdf
² Netherlands, G. o. (2024, July 5). Cutting down on food waste. Retrieved from Government.nl: https://www.government.nl/topics/food/cutting-down-on-food-waste
³ FDA. (2024, May 3). Tips to Reduce Food Waste. Retrieved from US Food and Drug Administation: https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/tips-reduce-food-waste
⁴ Network, T. c. (2024, July 5). 8 clever ways to reduce your home food waste. Retrieved from The corner store network: https://cornerstorenetwork.org.au/blogs/updates/8-clever-ways-to-reduce-your-home-food-waste
⁵ Mountford, A. (2021, April 20). 25 ways to reduce food waste. Retrieved from Stop food waste : https://stopfoodwaste.org/tips/blog/25-ways-to-reduce-food-waste-0
⁶ Londre, R. (2021, June 4). 7 ways to reduce food waste in your kitchen. Retrieved from Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/7-ways-to-reduce-food-waste-in-your-kitchen
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