World hunger is one of the most pressing problems facing the planet. According to the Food Aid Foundation, one in nine people around the world doesn’t have enough food to eat each day. One-third of the global population is also affected by malnutrition. It is ironic that so much food is being wasted. According to the UN Environmental Programme, 17% of all food worldwide is lost. The majority of this waste (61%) occurs at the household level. Compart Camp’s statistics suggest that this problem is even worse. Up to one-third the world’s food supply could be wasted. This figure, according to the USDA, represents the amount of food wasted in the United States.
Jose Andres and Andrew Zimmern, chefs, have condemned food waste. DoorDash has taken steps to reduce the problem within their own organizations. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, 18 states have attempted to legislate solutions for the problem of food waste. It will take a lot of effort to tackle this global problem. Food waste starts in your own refrigerator. This is where you should go to stop it.
1. Organize your fridge
To reduce food waste in your household, the first thing to do is to discover what’s in your fridge back, front, sides and deep within the produce bins. You can take it out one shelf at a time. You will likely find food that is rotten and can’t be reused, even in the compost bin. Although composting can be a great way of taking care of some types of kitchen scraps and other food items, Better Homes and Gardens warns that you should not put meat, fish, or dairy products in the compost bin as they could attract rats and other opportunistic creatures. There’s nothing you can do about that moldy cheese, so just toss it and promise to be better next time. To make your vow more meaningful, organize your fridge. This is why we recommend that you start by taking everything out. Orgain suggests that you use the top shelves to store foods that don’t require cooking and to keep the lower shelves reserved for meats and produce. The fridge door storage space is the most warm part of the fridge and should be used for condiments. Separating your vegetables and fruits, if your fridge has two produce bins, can help them stay fresh.
2. Labels are your friend
While you’re rooting around in your fridge, you may be unpleasantly surprised by a few UFOs — in this case, these would be Unidentified Food Objects, and are most likely former leftovers-turned-science experiments. They went straight to the trash, it’s obvious! You know what could have saved this crime against food? Labeling containers! You just need a piece of sticky labels or post-it notes and a pen. Add a brief note about “pork loaf mein” and perhaps a date to let you know how long the item has been there. Remaining leftovers don’t last very long so you should move them up to the front to remind yourself that they must be eaten soon. Nature Fresh Farms also notes that labels can be very helpful if you live with others. They can be prominently displayed labels to remind them which foods they should eat first. It is fine to use all caps in such situations.
3. Before you shop, make a game plan
After you have organized your fridge, it is time to organize your shopping habits so that food waste doesn’t happen again. Check what you have, what is needed, and where you might find some new ideas before you go grocery shopping. You should also check your fridge and pantry. You can reduce the risk of shelf-stable foods going bad by not using them immediately. However, if there are a lot of cans of kidney beans or pasta in your pantry, it might be worth looking into ways to make them useful. Suggestion: Cincinnati Five-Way Chili would be a good choice. Start making your shopping lists as you go through your kitchen. Stop Food Waste says that planning ahead is crucial to ensure the food you purchase is used properly. They recommend you limit your perishable food purchases to as little as possible before you go on your next shopping trip. A “notes” section may be a good idea to add to your shopping list. This will allow you to remind yourself what you have at home and any ideas. One example would be “slightly too ripe pineapple — pork Stir Fry?” Or “leftover birthday cake — icecream for cake shakes.”
4. When you bring your food home, prepare it.
You must immediately get your food back from the shop after you have brought it home. Food waste can be as simple as leaving a container of ice cream out on the counter for it to melt, or letting the chicken rest until the cat grabs them. The Environmental Protection Agency suggests that it is possible to take a little more time to prepare your food and put it away. This will save you time in the future, as well increase the likelihood of actually using your food before it spoils. Wash your produce and peel it if necessary. Chop it up, then store it in a container for easy snacking or cooking. You can cut up meat from a large package and place it in smaller containers or storage bags. You can then freeze any food that you won’t be using within 24 hours. You can cook your food right away and then freeze it. This will ensure that your food lasts a long time. All you have to do to make it ready to go is to heat it in the microwave whenever you are ready to eat.
5. Some produce doesn’t need to be peeled.
Peeling our fruits and vegetables is a way to waste food and time. Some things do need to be removed. Have you ever tried to eat a pineapple skin-on? If you have the patience to make your own tepache, even a pineapple skin can be reused. You can still enjoy a lot of the produce, but it’s much healthier if you don’t peel. According to The Washington Post, root vegetables don’t have to be peeled for most of them: potatoes, beets and carrots included. Cucumbers and squash don’t need to be peeled. If left on the peels, they will soften with enough cooking or brining (in the case of pickled cucumbers). The peels are rich in fiber, which we all need more of, and you can also find nutrients below the skin, which you should remove and throw in the trash. You may also appreciate the added color pop that peels can give to your produce if you like to photograph it before you eat.
