Diet gun

Finding ways to reduce food waste at home can help us better manage the food we buy and have in our home and save us money.

1. We buy less food

One of the simplest ways is to buy less food, food that we really need, e.g. this week or the week after.

Usually if we go shopping 3 times a week and not just once, it can help us not to buy too much food.

2. We make a shopping list

Taking stock of the food we have in our home and creating a list of what we will need will help us avoid buying unnecessary food.

3. Organizing the refrigerator and cupboards

Placing new foods at the back of the cupboard or refrigerator will help us use the food we have in front first, that is, the food we bought first and not the food we bought the last time we shopped, which will help us not to throw away food, thus reducing waste.

4. Store food correctly

Fruits, vegetables, meat, fish must be stored correctly to avoid possible spoilage.

The refrigerator must be set to maintain below 6°C.

Cooked foods should be stored on the shelves above raw foods and in sealed containers or tupperware.

Vegetables are preserved longer if we store them in the refrigerator but in tupperware, those that can be put in tupperware such as carrots, peppers, zucchini, spring onions, etc. and inside the container we should also place a piece of soft paper (kitchen paper) to absorb any moisture that may be created.

5. We use the freezer correctly

Bread, meat, many fruits and vegetables and some ready-made dishes can be frozen and preserved better for future consumption.

6. We make a weekly menu for the whole family

Creating a weekly meal menu can help us better organize the foods we need to buy and consume, thus potentially reducing the waste of money and food.

7. We eat the excess food another day

We consume the leftovers that we may have stored in the refrigerator or freezer, thus making better management of the foods we have cooked without throwing them in the trash.

8. Expiration Dates

The dates that manufacturers put on food labels are usually more about letting companies know when to replace their inventory than about informing consumers that they should throw away the food.

Food labels only give us a general idea of ​​how fresh a product is. The way to spot spoiled food is to trust our senses. If a product smells, looks or tastes off, it is obviously spoiled and should be thrown away. When in doubt, it is better to throw it in the trash.

9. We think twice before throwing away food

Greens, vegetables and fruits can soften or wilt a little as they ripen. We can use them in soups or bake them without this affecting their taste.

Stale bread can be toasted or used in burgers.

10. Lunch at work in a tupperware

Eating our own prepared food that we have brought in a tupperware from our home for lunch at work is definitely a way to avoid wasting money.

Making and keeping extra portions ready to use in the refrigerator saves us both time and money.

How long do basic foods last in the refrigerator and freezer?

Uncooked meat

Beef 3-5 days refrigerator storage,  6-12 months freezer

Pork 3-5 days refrigerator storage,  4-6 months freezer

Goat & Lamb 3-5 days refrigerator storage,   6-9 months freezer

Minced meat (all types) 1-2 days refrigerator storage,  3-4 months freezer

Cooked meat

Piece of meat without sauce or broth 3-4 days refrigerator storage,  2-3 months freezer

Piece of meat with sauce or broth 1-2 days refrigerator storage,  2-3 months freezer

Chicken or turkey (whole) 1-2 days refrigerator storage,  12 months freezer

Chicken or turkey (pieces) 1-2 days refrigerator storage,  9 months freezer

Cold cuts

Sliced cold cuts 3-5 days refrigerator storage,  1-2 months freezer

Bacon 1 week refrigerator storage, 1 month freezer

Raw meat sausages 1-2 days refrigerator storage, 1-2 months freezer

Smoked meat sausages 1 week refrigerator storage, 1-2 months freezer

Fresh fish and seafood

Fatty fish 1-2 days refrigerator storage,  2-3 months freezer

Less fatty fish 1-2 days refrigerator storage,  6 months freezer

Shellfish and seafood 1-2 days refrigerator storage,  3-6 months freezer

Smoked fish 2 weeks refrigerator storage,  2 months freezer

Cooked fish

All types of fish 3-4 days refrigerator storage,  4-6 months freezer

Eggs

Fresh 4-5 weeks refrigerator storage, Do not freeze

Yolks only or whites only 2-4 days refrigerator storage,  Do not freeze

Boiled 1 week refrigerator storage, Do not freeze

Dairy

Milk 1 week refrigerator storage, 3 months freezer

Soft cheeses 1-2 week refrigerator storage, Do not freeze

Hard cheeses 6 months (unopened), 4 weeks (opened)  refrigerator storage, 6 months freezer

Yogurt 1-2 weeks refrigerator storage, 1-2 months freezer

Rice cooked: 3-4 days refrigerator storage, 1 month freezer

Pasta cooked: 3-4 days refrigerator storage, 1-2 months freezer

Smashed potatoes cooked: 3-4 days refrigerator storage, 1-2 months freezer

Soup cooked: 3-4 days refrigerator storage, 2-3 months freezer

Organizing meals in the long term, besides saving us money, can help us create better eating habits, simpler and healthier.

It is also not ethically right for us to throw away food and someone else in another part of the world to die because they don’t have food to eat.