The issue with food waste

If we all do our bit, we can have a huge impact on the amount of food wasted and create a more sustainable future. There are several ways to combat food wastage in the home, and the key is developing good habits. It’s easy to get started. Ending Food Waste starts with all of us.

80% of Aussies admit to making impulsive in-store purchases, with over-buying in supermarkets a common shopping behaviour. Planning your meals ahead, taking an inventory of your fridge and pantry and then forming a grocery list will help you save at the supermarket and stop forgotten foods rotting at the back of the fridge. Need a hand shopping savvy? Zero Tag is a free visual pantry mobile app which helps to track the produce you already have, re-order, and organise with ease. The app ensures you never run out, without overbuying.

Did you know 10% of food waste is linked to retail standards imposed on fruit and veggie growers? Many retailers now offer discounted fruit and veggies that have slight cosmetic blemishes, odd sizes, or are otherwise unable to meet arbitrary cosmetic standards. Check out Farmers Pick, an online grocery shopping service for perfectly imperfect fresh products delivered direct to your door.

Planning helps manage the budget, makes shopping easier, and maximises foods that are high in nutrients, but lower in kilojoules while minimising wastage – a real win, win. If you need some meal planning help, Saveful is a free mobile app that creates delicious, money-saving meals with the ingredients you already have in your fridge, freezer or pantry.

In Australia, 32% of all food thrown away by households are leftovers. If you don’t eat everything you make, freeze it for later or use the leftovers as an ingredient in another meal. And this isn’t just at home – there’s no shame in asking for a to-go bag when out for dinner either.

The skin of many fruits and veggies are not only edible but are often jam-packed with nutrients like antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, so including them in your meal plan cuts down waste and adds a ton of health benefits. One cheeky hack is to chuck the stalks of greens, or the tops of carrots or strawberries or even over-ripe bananas  – in a nutrient-packed smoothie, rather than into the bin.

Confusing labels contribute to household food wastage. There’s a big difference between “best before” and “use-by” dates. Best Before dates are a guide for when the food is not of the best quality anymore. This could mean that it has lost some nutritional value, but the food is still safe to eat. If something’s hit it’s Best Before date, use your senses to make sure it still smells, looks and tastes fine. If it’s bad, you’ll probably know immediately.

Use By dates on the other hand, are indicators of food safety. Meaning food past this date are not safe to eat and best discarded. Even if they still look, smell and taste alright, it’s best not to tempt fate. However, it’s possible to keep products for longer if frozen before their Use By dates.

Storing food correctly is another way to get the most out of your grocery shop, while reducing waste. Herbs will last longer wrapped in damp paper towelling, and leafy greens should have any wilted leaves removed before storage. Refrigerating foods like tomatoes and cucumbers  – which should actually be kept at room temperature – may seem intuitive, but it’s a surefire way to reduce their lifespan. When in doubt, think about where you found them in the supermarket as an indicator.

If you’ve taken all the steps to stretch the shelf life of your products, a useful device to combat food spoilage from things such as moisture and bacteria is Fridge Friend. This little device captures harmful molecules to purify and create freshness in your fridge, increasing the lifetime of your produce by up to 3 weeks.

Sharing food scraps for composting with neighbours, community gardens, and local businesses just got easier. Peels is an online platform that diverts organic waste away from landfill by forming a local network between people with food scraps to those who compost it.

Find more about this free, community project that is doing good for the planet.

Many of us don’t know where to begin, wrongly assume that the solution is onerous, and think that a big garden is imperative. The good news is that it is easy to get started – and achievable for apartment dwellers! Whether your tight on space, time, or just getting started, explore how to divert your scarps from landfill and save 80% off RRP from your council on worm farms, bokashi and compost bins.

Herbs are one item highly perishable item that supermarkets seem to sell only in portion sizes five times too big. While growing your own vegetables may not be feasible for every home or lifestyle, a windowsill herb garden can help ensure tasty dishes – without the leftover bag of limp herbs. Bonus, you’ll be reducing your plastic packaging usage too.

In hospitality, consumer demands can often be unpredictable, and sadly surplus food frequently goes to waste. According to End Food Waste Australia, the hospitality industry is responsible for 16% of annual food waste. To grab some tasty deals which are good for the planet and your wallet, check out Too Good to Go. It shows discounted food deals in supermarkets, cafes, and restaurants, reflecting real time availability of food discounted to prevent food waste.

Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) is a kerbside collection services which allows food waste and scraps to be separated from general waste by placing them in a green-lidded bin. The waste is then collected and processed into high quality compost. While not yet available nationwide, 38% of Aussies have access to FOGO services, and it’s a great initiative that will contribute to the national target of reducing food waste by 50% by 2030. Click through to an interactive map below reflecting which local governments provide this organic kerbside collection, and whether it’s available near you.

We’re calling on you to Step Up and make a pledge towards reducing your waste contribution. Could you Step Up by saying no to straws? To bringing your own waterbottle? To composting? To buying recycled, to saying ‘no thanks’ to fast fashion or to refusing to purchase fruit and vegetables pre-wrapped in plastic?

There are so many ways to Step Up. And thousands of small steps together, make a big difference. Together we can all be part of the solution.