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In South Africa we waste around 10 million tonnes of food every year according to WWF. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has valued this lost at R61.5 billion!
Wasted food also results in wasted energy (both in preparing and in making the food). It is estimated that the energy wasted in producing food that is not eaten could be used to power the City of Johannesburg for 16 weeks.
We typically waste food by cooking too much food, letting food get spoilt, poor meal prep and overbuying. If you are keen to reduce food waste in your home, follow these steps and tips:
1. Invest in a composter device
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Composting is a good way to recycle food scraps and put it all to good use but there are downsides to this method. These include the odour, the potential for attracting worms and maggots and, of course, you need space to put your compost heap.
The alternative is to invest in a composting device, such as the iCompost. These types of machines have plenty of advantages such as the need for less space and less noise (the iCompost’s sound is less than 60 decibels).
The iCompost can process all types of food waste including coffee grounds, tea bags and eggshells. After two hours the device will create a dry natural nutrient rich soil amendment that can be used in plants, gardens and on the lawn.
2. Plan ahead
A Grundig spokesperson advises: ‘Plan your meals carefully and always be aware of ‘use-by’ dates. Not only will it help you save money but save precious food resources. Keep an eye on what’s inside your fridge. Be mindful of the perishable food you have and use older foods to create new meals.’
3. Buy funny looking fruits and vegetables
Grundig recommends buying funny looking fruits and vegetables to reduce food waste. The company claims that many are thrown away because of their shape, size or colours that don’t match.
4. Store food correctly
Changing how you store food or preparing food in a certain way can make them last longer. Registered dietitian Zitandile Mfono says there are many ways that we can stretch the food budget without compromising on nutritional quality.
She says: ‘You can reduce waste storing food in your kitchen correctly. Just one example is storing potatoes in a brown paper bag in a cool, dark cupboard. They can last for up to a month without turning green, deteriorating and developing buds.’
Meanwhile Moneyboat.co.uk suggests adding salt to milk once opened to make it stay fresher for longer. They point out that milk will typically last four to ten days if kept in the fridge but add: ‘You can stretch that timeframe a bit further by adding a pinch of salt to the carton immediately after opening, this is as salt is a preservative and so deters bacteria from growing. But do make sure to give the carton a good shake and place it into the fridge as soon as possible.’
There are always more things you can do to save the planet. Cutting food waste is a start but you can take it further by reducing your foodprint and recycling more to ensure fewer household items make it to landfill.
You can also extend the shelf life of most nuts and seeds by a year freezing them. If you eat them in less time than that, the other option is keeping them in the fridge or in a cool, dark place at the back of the cupboard.
5. Add flavour to your water
Healthline suggest improving the taste of your water can also help you to reduce food waste. They recommend perking up your water through adding used peels from citrus fruits like apples and cucumbers. After you’ve quenched your thirst, they further suggest using the leftovers in your smoothies. You can alternatively put these in the compost device or compost heap.
