Food waste is one of the issues of our time which not only harms the environment but also plays a role in the unbalanced diet of people. It is alarming that every year, the world commonly throws away tens of millions of tons of food while many people are not able to have a proper diet. On the other hand, we can eliminate waste and promote healthy eating habits with the strategies below, lessening our environmental footprint, and to get healthier choices.
Creating a Meal Plan
A crucial way to decrease the amount of food that is wasted and also create healthy eating habits is through meal planning. The way you plan your meals ahead of time is that you can create a shopping list of all the ingredients you need to buy, so you will basically eliminate buying too much for something or items that you actually don't need. In the meantime, planning your meals helps to take a selection of nutritious foods and make them a regular part of your weekly diet, which in turn makes the diet of the whole week well-balanced.
Purchasing Only Needed Items
Impulse buying is more often than not the main cause of wastage. Shopping without a plan tends to result in us picking things that we don't really need and like, which will only add to the amount of wasted food. The way to deal with this problem is to only shop when you are sure of what you need and only buy things that are essential. Make a list of the things you need before heading to the local supermarket and check your pantry. This will assist you in avoiding unnecessary shopping.
Food Storage
Storing correctly is a must for lengthening the shelf life of perishables and cutting down the waste. Maintain a well-organized refrigerator and pantry with proper airflow that will allow you to easily reach food items. On top of that, you should learn the best preservation conditions of various types of food to allow you to have the lowest waste and the best quality.
Food Labeling
The right knowledge of labels and expiration dates helps eliminate waste. Make the effort to check the expiration dates on the items before you purchase them and make it a priority to consume the foods that are about to expire. Also, be acquainted with descriptive expressions such as “best by” and “sell by” to have the capacity to make food safety choices by yourself.
Learning to Preserve
Maintaining the original techniques such as canning, freezing, and pickling is the best way to prolong the shelf life of fresh vegetables and, thereby, prevent waste. How about that when the season is out you could also consider canning or freezing the excess fruits and vegetables to enjoy them throughout the year? This not only cuts down the waste, but you also will get a chance to enjoy the rich flavor of the fruit from the season throughout the year.
Saving and Eating Leftovers
Scraps unfortunately don't get a good reputation, but they could be a valuable means of decreasing wastes and improving diet habits. Take advantage of left-overs in ways other than throwing in the bin. Bring leftover ingredients to the table by creating new dishes or storing them for later. Through the conservation of leftovers, you will also be able to kiss both time and money goodbye while slashing waste.
Starting Small
The idea of eliminating waste may seem like an overwhelming task, but you should always bear in mind that every little change matters. It is better to begin with one aspect of your routine that you intend to improve, e.g. meal planning or composting food scraps, and then introduce other strategies eventually. By making small but smart decisions, you can make a real impact on diverting waste from landfills.
Portion Control
Implementing serving sizes is another great method through which we can reduce waste and eat healthily. Of course, you should put appropriate portion sizes on your plate that satisfy your nutritional requirements and you should not 'stuff yourself' to the point of overeating. Measure portion sizes and limit how much you eat to prevent leftovers, thereby consuming the right amount of food for your body.
Using Local Food Producers
Promoting local food producers not only boosts the community but also minimizes the carbon footprint of transport. One way of doing this is to pick your items from locally sourced ingredients, which will give you delightful fresh and seasonal produce and the carbon emissions related to long-distance transportation will be minimized. Moreover, purchasing from local farmers would also likely mean encouraging environmentally friendly farming techniques as well as getting the best quality of ingredients.
Avoid Over-loading Your Fridge
A jam-packed fridge will create airflow obstruction and eventually temperature differences, which would lead to spoilage and wastefulness. To avoid this, make your fridge more organized by arranging it to make the most out of the space and visibility, therefore, making it easy to access any item before it expires. Frequently check the content of your refrigerator and rearrange the perishable items at the front of the fridge to avoid unnecessary wastage.
Give to Others in Need
Avoid waste by giving leftovers to charities and hence support the community. Think of donating excess food to local food banks, shelters and communities that help the vulnerable section of the society to fight hunger. By sharing what you have, you can actually make a difference in the lives of those who might be lacking.
Conclusion
Food wastage reduction is not only good for the
environment but also a key factor to consider for the promotion of a healthy diet. Through the adoption of techniques such as meal planning, mindful
shopping, and food preservation we can ensure that we have healthy meals, while
at the same time cutting down on waste. By implementing a few habits in our
day-to-day life, we can, together, work toward the realization of a fitter and
greener tomorrow.
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