At this point, we all know we shouldn’t waste food. But sometimes remembering to be careful and sparing with food wastage can fall by the wayside as we get caught up in life. A really long and stressful day at work, for example, might mean you’re just too exhausted to cook, and end up ordering in. Meanwhile, you’ve got some veggies that are on the brink of going off and, by tomorrow, they’ll have to be thrown out.
Hate to get real with you, but food waste is actually a huge, huge problem. According to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, a staggering 3% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from food waste, and roughly equates to 312kg of food waste per person. In even grimmer news, the water used to help grow food that eventually goes to waste could fill Sydney Harbour five times. It’s bleak, everyone.
But, you can put that climate anxiety on hold for a brief second, because there are really simple and hassle-free ways to seriously reduce your food waste within your own home – even commercial kitchens and bars around the country are doing it. Starting with organisation, segmenting your produce in clearly-labelled containers with use-by dates on them can help drill what food is going bad when into your brain so you can prep your week ahead!
There’s even some handy storage hacks that you might not be aware of that can maximise your food’s freshness. Wrapping lettuce in paper towels and storing in a bag can help absorb excess moisture and keep things crisp for longer. Even avocado, which often feels like it goes bad seconds after purchasing, can be saved with the help of lemon juice, an ice cube tray and a freezer.
As part of our partnership with Suncorp Bank, we asked you all to give us some of your best tips and tricks to combating food waste in your own kitchen. Now, we’ve compiled our favourites in this quick and easy one-pager that you can save onto your device, or even print out and stick it on your fridge at home.
View our tips and tricks, and click through to download and print them, below.
Taking this simple PDF and displaying it in your kitchen, where it matters most, will guide you on your sustainability journey, before those things become second nature. You might even discover some of your own tips and tricks along the way, and display them alongside our quick guide. The eco-friendly world is your sustainably-farmed oyster!
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