Consumption

Why do we waste so much food?

We often don't think about the fact that we throw away masses of food every year: fruit that has gone rotten, old bread, spoiled dairy products, and so on.

But, the cause is not always far-fetched: we made too much, we forgot to check the expiry date, we didn't like it that much in the end, we didn't store the food properly, etc. So we clearly need to work on our (bad) habits and learn other ones.

Tips:
-planning
Plan your menus for a few days (or a week) so that you can adjust your food supply accordingly.
-shopping lists
Stick to your shopping list so that you avoid buying food that you don't actually need.
-keep an eye on the expiry date
Once the expiry date has passed, throw it away.

The expiry date on pasta or tinned food, for example, means 'best before'. You can still use these products as long as the product is okay. When doing this, take into account: what does it look like? What does it smell like? Does it still taste good?

Tips:
- write down the date on, for example, the bottle of cream that you opened.
- store correctly so that it stays good for longer
For example, do not put potatoes with your onions. Store bananas outside the refrigerator so that they don't turn black. Store food in the right place in the refrigerator. Apply the principle of 'first in, first out'.
- prepare the right quantities. If you're following a recipe, take the specified quantities into account. Get rid of the idea that there has to be 'enough' for everyone. This will definitely result in 'too much', and therefore waste.

Some guidelines:
- per person, calculate 80 to 100g pasta, 150g meat, 250 to 300g vegetables, etc.
- process or save leftovers. You can perfectly freeze leftovers or use them in another dish the next day. But also remember to take some leftovers with you in your lunchbox!

(MH with Skwarda by Tagtik/Illustration picture: Unsplash)