5 Practical Tips to Reduce Food Waste in Your Kitchen

Every year, tons of food goes to waste. But with a few simple habits, you can make a big difference for your wallet and the planet. Here’s how.

1. Shop Smart, Not Hungry

One of the biggest sources of waste is impulse buying. Before you go to the store, take a quick inventory of your fridge and pantry. Plan a few meals for the week and create a shopping list. Stick to it! This not only reduces waste but also saves you money.

2. Understand Expiration Dates

Many people throw away food that is perfectly safe to eat. It's crucial to understand the difference:

• "Best Before" refers to quality. The food is safest to eat before this date, but may still be fine afterward, though its texture or flavor might change.
• "Use By" refers to safety. You should not eat food after this date.

3. First In, First Out (FIFO)

Organize your fridge like a grocery store. When you buy new groceries, move the older items to the front and place the new ones in the back. This ensures you use up food before it goes bad.

4. Make Your Freezer Your Best Friend

The freezer is a magic pause button for food. Have leftovers you can't finish? Freeze them. Bread about to go stale? Freeze it. Berries getting soft? Freeze them for smoothies. You can freeze almost anything.

5. Get Creative with Scraps

Don't throw away those odds and ends! Vegetable scraps like onion peels, carrot ends, and celery tops can be saved in a bag in the freezer to make a flavorful vegetable broth. Stale bread can become croutons or breadcrumbs. And for a random assortment of ingredients, you can always use a tool like FridgeChef to find a creative recipe.

By adopting these simple practices, you can significantly cut down on food waste, turning what was once trash into delicious treasures.