Food waste is a serious problem, with the UN Environment Programme reporting that nearly half of all fruits and vegetables and one third of all food produced globally every year ends up getting wasted. While none of us want to make these problems worse, but it’s all too easy to let food go bad before we can eat it in the rush of everyday life.
If you find yourself tossing an embarrassing amount of expired food in the bin more often than you’d like, listen up – I’ve got a 10-minute method that can help you avoid contributing to the problem of food waste.
Meal planning in 10 minutes
When it comes to ways to reduce food waste at home, meal planning is the way to go. It helps you avoid being greeted by a fridge of weeks-old shredded chicken and mushy courgettes and keeps you from wasting money. This doesn’t have to be a time-consuming exercise. Here’s a quick version of meal planning for mums whose goal is to find ways to avoid wastage of food.
1. Take an inventory
Take a quick inventory of what you have. While I know it’s tempting to plan your meals based on what you’re in the mood for, using what you already have doesn’t just help you feel better about doing your part for the environment – it can help you save money, too. So, before you get into the thick of meal planning, take a look at what you’ve already got in the fridge and your cupboards and proceed from there. And with some luck and creativity, you can make what you’ve got align with what you’re craving!
2. Structure meals to reduce food waste
As you’re figuring out what will feature on your menu for the week, think of how you can use leftovers as building blocks for other meals. For example, if you’re cooking chicken, make some extra and use it to make a pot pie or Crock-Pot chicken tortellini soup the next day. If doubling your favourite fajita recipe doesn’t quite make two full meals for your family, chop up the leftover chicken and peppers after the first day and use them to make quesadillas or nachos.
3. Plan catch-all meals at the end of the week
Reserve the last day before you intend to shop again for catch-all meals that can incorporate whatever scraps you have left over in the fridge. This might be something like a giant frittata, rice bowls, stir fries, wraps or soup. There are lots of foods that lend themselves well to adding whatever bits of meat and veg you’ve got lurking around in your fridge just in time to save them from going to waste. We love a good ‘scrounge night’ – that means emptying the fridge of leftovers and putting together platters with whatever we desire. This is one of the most creative ways to reduce food waste, and you may just end up coming up with something that becomes a firm family favourite.
4. Create your list
Once you’ve mapped out what you’ll eat for the week, it’s time to create your list. You can save significant time by using a meal planning template or app. When you go shopping, don’t forget to check the expiration dates on everything you buy to make sure each food will still be fresh on the day you plan to cook it.
TOP TIP
Keep a list of well-loved meals somewhere handy, and use it as a reference for when you’re meal planning. Do not scour the internet for meal ideas when you’re trying to meal plan – it will only make matters more complicated and you’ll find yourself wasting so much time doing so!
As you can see, it doesn’t take very much time to plan meals with reducing food waste in mind. With the right tools and a smart strategy, you’ll soon find yourself wasting a lot less food without making a big effort!
I’m on Sharktank (Malta) this Sunday the 8th of May!
Watch me live on Television Malta at 8:50pm CEST > I’ll be unveiling our new product 🙌🏼 Hint: if you struggle with meal planning OR really love food in general…you will ❤️ it 🥳
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