In our fast-paced world, with so much to do and so much stress, we often have only a few minutes to think about what to eat. As a result, conscious shopping and meal planning are often disregarded which almost certainly leads us to wasting precious food. We can make a difference by following the tips of the Wasteless programme that not only saves us money and food but also benefits the environment in the long run.
Plan ahead!
Think about the week, whether you’ll have time to cook and plan what you’ll prepare and how many meals you’ll actually need. If you realistically assess how many you can use up without them going bad, you already made a step towards sustainability.
Write a shopping list!
This advice might sound a little odd but the truth is that it’s truly a weapon against food waste (and for saving money). If you go shopping with a plan, you’ll move through the aisles with a purpose instead of becoming an impulse shopper and buying things that you don’t necessarily need or worse: use up in time. If you’re short on time before leaving home, taking a photo of your fridge can also help to see what ingredients you won’t need. And don’t forget: eat before you leave! Hunger might lead you to buy everything you see. Imagine yourself walking past the pastry section without taking a look at the freshly baked croissants with a queasy stomach… not so realistic, right? And at home, you’ll be just staring at the dozens of pastries that’ll eventually end up wasted. It isn’t worth it. If you don’t have any time, ordering your groceries at home can also be a more sustainable and conscious decision instead of just rushing to the store.
Check your fridge!
We suggest checking your fridge before meal planning because you might be finding ingredients for your next recipe! This saves money and time at the same time! Don’t forget about your freezer either since sometimes long-forgotten treasures can be found there!
Make your faves!
A busy week ahead? It’s better not to stress about what you’ll cook and where to find recipes! Make something you have tried before and it will sure be comforting and delicious after (or during) a long day.
Give them a second chance!
It’s okay to sometimes get bored of your meal-prepped foods or miscalculate the portions. But for example, if you have too many veggies left, use them up in a pasta sauce or make a casserole with leftover rice! It’s the same with foods that you ordered for takeaway. The pizza from last night can be your lunch tomorrow! Be aware though: our foods in the fridge don’t last forever and if you store them for too long it might raise food safety issues.
The freezer is your bestie!
Your freezer spares you time with washing up and cooking and even makes your food last longer! Stews, casseroles, pasta sauces and even pancakes and doughnuts can all go in the freezer just make sure to label the foods you put there, indicating the date and the number of portions. If you’d like to eat frozen bolognese for your next lunch sauce just make sure to take it out and put it in the fridge – between 0-5°C – the night before. Using a microwave on a defrosting program can also be a safe (and faster) solution. Once you defrosted something don’t refreeze it!
Always have the essentials on hand!
To make a good essentials kit, you need to know how many people you have to cook for and how much storage space you have. If you have favourite dishes that you prepare often (e.g. porridge, bolognese, lentil stew, chilli beans, tuna salad), the ingredients of your kit will certainly roll off the shelf quickly. Before you start your shopping spree though, make sure not to stock ingredients with a „use by” date (like raw meat, yoghurt or cottage cheese) – such foods are not considered safe to eat and should be disposed of after the expiry date. Instead choose products with a „best before” date (for example canned foods and sauces), which can be stored and used up safely even after their expiry – just trust your senses before tasting the product.