Food waste is a growing concern for the environment. Over a third of all food produced for human consumption is wasted or lost, a loss that is valued at USD$1 trillion. Excess food waste can lead to increased carbon emissions, pollution and wasted water. All of these effects can be significantly reduced by cutting back on food waste.

Everyone can play their part in reducing food waste, something which will not only help the environment but help you too. Reducing your food waste can change your approach to eating and grocery shopping, and make you think about how you spend money on food.

Explore ways you can cut your food waste to help save money and the environment too.

Create meal plans

Meal plans have a lot of benefits, such as:

• They help you to eat healthier.
• They help you to exercise portion control.
• They help you save time.
• They help you spend less money on food.
• They help you ensure plenty of variety 

And ultimately, they help you cut back on food waste.

Creating a weekly meal plan is one thing you can do to take better care of yourself, especially if you live a busy lifestyle. Planning what you want to eat for the week will help you create a grocery list you can stick to, helping to control the amount of money you spend on food.

Do more with your leftovers

Getting creative with leftovers is another way to help you cut down on food waste. Some creative recipe ideas will help you use more of what’s in your fridge so that less gets thrown away. From using up your leftover chicken to easy and delicious leftover ham recipes, there’s more to leftovers than you realize. Making extra portions of meals and freezing them is another way to cut down on your food waste, while ensuring there’s always something tasty to eat in the freezer.

Store your food carefully

Proper food storage is essential for prolonging the lifespan of your food. There are a lot of food storage tips you can use to store your food more effectively and help it last longer. Being more organized with your refrigerator and pantry can make a big difference to how much food you throw out, as well as help you find what you need more easily. 

Make the most of your freezer

Your freezer isn’t just there to freeze your store-bought food. If you use your freezer more effectively, you can take your food waste prevention efforts even further. Freezing items like herbs, fruit and vegetables can stop you from throwing away food produce that’s gone bad, ensuring you always have a supply of ingredients in your freezer. 

Most foods can be frozen if they’re packaged and stored correctly, so start making the most of your freezer to keep food for longer.

Reducing your food waste is easy once you get into the habit. Changing your approach to your grocery shopping and what you eat can save you a lot of money each week, while also helping you eat healthier choices. Make some changes to your habits now and cut down on your food waste for good.