Reduce Food Waste at Home

Impact

Small impact

Cost

Affordable

Time

Moderate

By being proactive, you can reduce food waste and make the most of your delicious ingredients. Here are some steps to help you get started:

1. Plan meals in advance

Planning your meals can help you buy only what you need and use up ingredients efficiently. Create a weekly menu and make a shopping list based on the recipes you plan to cook to avoid impulse purchases and food waste.

2. Buy smaller quantities more frequently

Instead of doing one big grocery shop each week or fortnight, try buying smaller quantities of fresh produce and other perishables more frequently. This way, you can use up what you have before it spoils and keep your meals varied and fresh.

3. Buy items that will freeze

If you want to buy in larger quantities, pick items that will keep well in the freezer such as tofu. Some vegetables like broccoli may benefit from blanching before freezing, while others such as pepper can be cut and frozen raw. Some salad greens and herbs do not freeze well, so stick with manageable quantities for those items.

4. Save veggie scraps for broth

Keep your veggie skins, peels, leaves, and ends in a freezer bag to make your own vegetable stock. Vegetable stock is a great base for soups and stews, and can also be used for risotto, plant-based gravy, sauces, and more.

5. Brainstorm root-to-leaf recipes

Many vegetable parts that are often discarded are actually edible and nutritious. Get creative and find recipes that use the whole vegetable, from root to leaf. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Sauté turnip, radish, and beet greens into stir-fries.
2. Use leek greens in soups, stews, or as a base for stock.
3. Finely chop carrot tops for vibrant pestos or gremolatas.
4. Thinly slice broccoli stems and blend into a soup or hummus.
5. Roast cauliflower leaves for crunchy chips, or sauté them.