Food waste is one of the most significant sustainability issues, raising not only environmental but also moral and economic questions.
29 September is International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. To mark the occasion, we interviewed Fruzsi Viszkok, a popular online content creator and author and Tamás Széll, chef, head chef of Michelin-starred Stand Restaurant and Stand 25 Bistro in Budapest, winner of the European Bocuse d’OR final, about their experiences on food waste and their cooking habits.
We share with you their favourite food waste reduction practices.
Tips by Fruzsi
- I’m a shopping list writer, which I stick to. Of course, it’s also important that I don’t go to the store hungry.
- I came across conscious menu planning in a book a few years ago. I’ve tried it, and I think it helps a lot to reduce food waste if you think about what you’re going to eat, meal by meal, at the beginning of the week.
- As part of my weekly cleaning routine, I also take a few minutes to look through the fridge to see what items should be used before it’s too late.
- I try to use the leftovers in a variety of ways. I often eat food that is made up entirely of different leftovers.
Tips by Tamás
- I am not a fan of bulk buying. We prefer to buy smaller quantities a bit more often rather than big amounts once. Overbuying can be really wasteful.
- I use the freezer consciously. In a week or two, you can serve the bouillon or goulash you have prepared in larger portions as part of new dishes.
- Chill cooked foods as soon as possible and then put them in the fridge or freezer to significantly increase their shelf life.
- If we cook a lot, we share it between family members, but we always try to make just enough to last 2-3 days and not longer.
The cost-effective use of raw materials is a fundamental task in my profession, so we use all neck and crop.