Practical Ways to Reduce Food Waste at Home and Save Money

Written by Nicolle Portilla
 · September 29, 2022
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Today, Americans waste 30% to 40% of the total food supply throughout its entire life cycle, from growing or production to post-purchase. That may seem like a shocking statistic. However, unless you are already dedicated to a low-waste lifestyle, the statistic starts making sense quickly if you record all the waste you have and compare it to what you buy. You can avoid excess waste by not letting food spoil, storing it correctly, and shopping efficiently. This blog will show you some ways to cut food waste at home, which will help you save money as you contribute to a more environmentally friendly circular economy. Let’s dive in!

Be Creative With What You Have Before You Shop

Does this situation sound familiar?  You buy an ingredient that is perishable. Then you forget about it and it sits around a few weeks. It gets buried in your fridge, only to be discovered again after it is no longer fresh. By “shopping in your pantry first instead of heading for the store, you can waste much less. If you are unsure of what to do with what you have, try typing your ingredients into Google to see what recipes come up. You may be surprised how many recipes you can find that will incorporate what you already have. This is a great way to not only prevent wasted food but to also save some money by not having to purchase more ingredients.

before buying new ingredients, cook from what’s already in your fridge

Plan Your Meals Each Week

By sticking to a weekly planning schedule, you can shop only once each week. This saves you time and money with fewer trips to the grocery store. When you plan your meals, you can decide which ingredients you need, then write them on a list, and buy only what is on the list. This helps you prevent buying too much, buying things you don’t need, and buying things that may look appealing but may not be used.

Another waste-reducing benefit of planning your meals is that you may use part of a product one day and part of it another day. For instance, if you buy some kale, you may divide up a few bags for morning smoothies and a portion for a main dish later in the week. If you bake a dish and have leftovers, you can make a soup or a pasta dish with those leftovers. Just be mindful of how quickly perishable foods can spoil. It can take time to build your waste-reducing skills for dividing food products with meal planning. Fortunately, there are plenty of meal planning sites, forums, and social media groups today where you can find ideas.

Planning ahead can help reduce food waste

Store Food Properly

Improperly storing food can lead to unnecessary waste. Let’s review three things you can do to be more organized and prolong the usable lifetime of your chilled food. First, experts recommend storing your most perishable items in the back of the fridge where the air is colder, which can help to keep them fresh as long as possible. Second, if you unpackage an item and don’t use all of it, label the leftover food with a date. And third, do not overfill the fridge. If refrigerated products are too close together, it is harder to keep them thoroughly cooled. Letting the air circulate between them helps, and you are less likely to lose track of items when you can see them all. Also check out Stop Waste’s guide to good food storage for your fruits and veg.

A lot of food waste comes from dry or packaged food. You can help cut this form of waste by storing your food carefully. Keep newer items toward the back of your pantry or storage area, and keep older foods at the front. This reduces the chance of food getting tucked in the back of a storage area until it is long past its expiration date. Also, beware of pantry pests. Oatmeal packets in boxes, pasta boxes, and opened containers of rice are just a few examples of items that attract pests. Use canisters to store any food items that come in containers that are not resealable or airtight. For better results, use glass containers with airtight seals. Some plastic or metal canisters may make the foods in them smell and taste odd, which you will want to avoid. There are a lot of pantry storage ideas out there: try savethefood.com.

Give Away What You Won’t Use

Did you buy something you don’t like? If you bought more than one of such a product, you can give away what you don’t want. Also, if you buy too much food and realize that you will not use it all, donate it. Some people also give away food if they are going on vacation or will be away at work and dining out more. Whatever the reason is for giving away food, there are plenty of options: You can find apps to advertise free food that people who live near you can collect. Check with food banks, local houses of worship, or charitable organizations that accept food donations. You can also ask your neighbors if they are interested in the food. Visit CalRecycle’s page on food rescue for more information.

When You Must Discard, Please Compost

Following the previous tips may still leave you with some scraps and discardable foods. For example, you may have inedible peels or leftover food that may not look safe to eat. When that happens, compost the food. If you throw it away, it goes to a landfill and releases methane gas. Composting is better for the environment and good for the soil and your plants. This may save you a little money on gardening aids. Read up on the process of composting to take your food waste reduction to the next level — or watch Acterra’s handy video primer.

As a final takeaway, remember that reducing waste and reusing as many things as possible in your household is a strong contribution to a circular economy that sustains resources and reduces harmful waste on a larger scale. Celebrate September 29, the United Nations’ International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste by learning to prevent wasted food — today and every day of the year.


Nicolle Portilla

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