Top 10 Creative Ways To Reduce Food Waste In 2022
Regarding the environment, we can see that food waste is a big issue. It may seem easy to reduce food waste, but it is a struggle to maintain zero kitchen waste.
Thanks to food technology and its innovations, it has developed several solutions that can create a clear difference.
You may have several questions in your mind, such as why food waste is a problem and how food technology can help you reduce it.
Keep on reading this article to get answers to these questions and learn about creative solutions to reduce the wastage of food.
Why is Food Waste a Problem?
Food waste is a problem because it causes negative impacts on our planet.
A large amount of food waste results in landfills releasing greenhouse gasses, ultimately contributing to climate change.
About 1.4 million tons of food is wasted globally every year. It means we are contributing to greenhouse emissions with our food.
These gasses are highly damaging to the protective layer around our planet and result in climate change.
How Does Food Technology Help In Reducing Food Waste?
Many modern innovations in food technology have evolved that help prevent tracking and reduce the food waste problem.
Creative Food Waste Solutions to create change:
Now that you understand food wastage is a problem for our environment, food technology is playing a role in mitigating this issue.
Let’s explore ways to use waste that you otherwise may throw into the bin. It will help you in food waste reduction and using leftover food in a better way.
1) Use Coffee Grounds to Clean Pots
Most people empty the used coffee grounds into the trash bin because they do not know that these coffee grounds are a natural cleaner for pans and pots.
They have a course structure which makes them perfect for scrubbing stubborn spots.
2) Use Vegetable Scraps For Broth
One simple, easy and best way to save vegetable scraps from going to waste is to make broth. It will help you in reducing waste in your home kitchen.
You can save everything from herb stems to garlic skins and carrot tops to make a vegetable broth full of nutrition.
To make a vegetable broth, you can put everything left on the cutting board into a large pot of water and simmer them for a few hours.
In the end, you will have a delicious base for stews, soups, and casseroles.
3) Make Homemade Cleaner From Citrus Scraps
There are several ways to use your kitchen waste in beneficial ways. Lemons, oranges, limes and other citrus fruits can make a wonderful homemade cleaner.
People in ancient times used them as cleaning agents. And you also do not need to do anything special to use them as cleaners.
Now you have your own cleaner to use in cleaning everything from washing pots and pans to cleaning the kitchen floor.
4) Chop And Freeze Leftover Herbs
Herbs are used to add more flavor to almost every meal, but it adds up the cost. But the herbs wilt quite quickly, and you throw wilted parsley stems and basil leaves into the bin.
If you have extra herbs and you are not in a position to use them before they spoil, you can chop them and place them in the freezer.
Now you can use them whenever you want to add color and flavor to your meal.
5) Make breadcrumbs From Leftover Bread
Bread is a part of breakfast in almost every house or restaurant. The heel of bread is not right to use in sandwiches or toasts, and usually, they go wasted.
Most people do not eat this part, and no one ever knows what to do with this part of the bread instead of wasting it.
Although its texture is a little bit different from the rest of the bread, it is still delicious.
Rather than toss it, you can crush it in the food processor and convert it into breadcrumbs.
Next time you make crispy chicken or anything like that, you will not need to buy crumbs from the market. You have your own homemade crumbs to use in any of your recipes.
6) Store Your Food Correctly
Proper storage of food makes it stay fresh for a long time. Some fruits, such as bananas, avocados, melons, and mangoes, release ethylene gas.
This gas causes other fruits and vegetables to ripen more quickly. So you should store these fruits separately, whether on the kitchen counter or in the fridge.
Moreover, you can wrap the ends of the banana with plant-based wraps instead of wrapping it with plastic to reduce ethylene release.
Tips For Smart Food Storage
Here are a few tips that can help you with smart storage:
- Do not wash cherries, grapes, or berries until you are going to eat them. Because as they become wet, they will rot quickly.
- You can also use some gadgets like an avocado keeper, crisper drawer or berry box that absorbs water and keeps food perishable for longer periods.
- Always make sure that your fridge temperature is set below 40 degrees.
- If you think any product is going to go bad before you eat it, you can freeze it. Freezing can increase the shelf life of the product even up to one year, depending on the type of product.
- Another good storage technique is to place perishable items away from the refrigerator door.
- Declutter your refrigerator regularly to remove and use hidden things before they go bad. Keep things organized so that you can clearly see perishable items.
- Wipe down the drawers often to eliminate water and bacteria that can make food items go bad faster
7) Avoid Buying In Bulk
Another way that plays a role in food wastage reduction is to do grocery smartly.
Although it may seem convenient to go to a big grocery store every few weeks, it contributes to a lot of food waste.
A good tip is to finish all the food you purchased previously and then make another trip to the grocery store.
In addition, you can make a list of things you need to purchase and strictly avoid buying any extra things.
8) Preserve Your Food
Food preservation helps you to keep food edible for a long period.
There are numerous ways to preserve food items, including pickling, drying, freezing, canning, and fermentation.
You can make jams, sauces, or pickled fruits and vegetables and keep them safe for months or years.
It is easy to minimize food waste and provide your family with delicious products to enjoy. You can convert fruits into a jam in a small time using only a few ingredients.
9) Try Composting
Composting is one of the best food waste solutions. It is a useful and sustainable; le way to convert your food scraps into a nutrient-filled product that helps your plants grow efficiently.
The process of decomposition produces compost. This process breaks down things onto smaller pieces.
However, metal, plastic, gum, and glass are items that can not be decomposed. Compost is extremely beneficial for gardening and also helps in minimizing food waste.
10) Share Your Food
Creating a community with people around you can be one of the best food waste solutions.
Did you have a dinner party at your home, and you end up having a large amount of untouched food?
You can consider sharing it with others. Wrap the food and share it with your neighbors or with a friend who is going through tough times.
You should connect with people around you to know them. Sharing food can be good practice and prevents extra food from going to waste.
You can also donate non-perishable products to food banks, food rescue programs, or food pantries.
Moreover, there are apps where you can find people interested in your food. You can use these apps to donate this food to the right people.
Conclusion :
Wasting food is becoming a significant problem affecting your finances and our climate and planet.
It is a source of greenhouse gas emissions that is causing climate change. Living healthy does not include adopting a natural lifestyle but also sustainable solutions for day-to-day issues.
If you want to play a role in reducing food wastage educate yourself, your family, and the people around you about why food waste is a problem and creative solutions to minimize it.
You can reduce food wastage by making a shopping list when going for groceries, using creative ways to use leftovers, donating untouched food items, and composting your food scraps.
We hope that this article will help you in minimizing this issue and protect our planet.
