One of the biggest sources of waste is right in our kitchens in the form of unused or wasted food. Luckily, it’s easy to reduce food waste by eating the food we buy, planning meals, shopping smarter, and understanding food labels.
Eat the food you buy
It may sound simple, but the best way to start reducing food waste is by eating the food you buy. Do this by:
- Keeping track of the freshness of your ingredients.
- Checking what you have before buying more.
- Looking up recipes based on whatever you need to use up first.
- Creating a designated spot for “eat me first!” foods in your refrigerator or pantry.
- Eating or freezing leftovers or items about to spoil.
Practice meal planning
Meal planning involves preparing for meals in advance. When you plan meals, you can go to the grocery store with a list to buy exactly what you need and no more.
A good way to make life simpler and meal prep quicker is to put together meals in batches. You can create individual or family sized portions of fresh or frozen foods, often for the week ahead.
Make your shopping list based on how many meals you’ll eat at home. Then look in the refrigerator and cupboards first to avoid buying food you already have.
Make a list each week of what needs to be used up and plan upcoming meals around that. Remember that casseroles, stir-fries, soups, and smoothies are great ways to use leftovers. Many apps and websites exist to provide suggestions for using leftover ingredients (e.g. SavetheFood.com's tips for easy meal planning). And the U.S. EPA has a food waste reduction toolkit with printable worksheets available at EPA's food too good to waste implementation guide.
Understand food labels
There is no universally accepted system for dating food in the U.S. So learning the difference between “sell-by,” “use-by,” “best-by,” and expiration dates can ensure you don’t throw out food that is still safe to eat.
- A “Sell-By” date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.
- A “Best if Used By (or Before)” date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
- A “Use-By” date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.
- “Closed or coded dates” are packing numbers for use by the manufacturer.
Except for “use-by” dates, product dates don’t always pertain to home storage and use after purchase. “Use-by” dates usually refer to best quality, not safety. If the date expires during home storage, a product should be safe and of good quality if handled properly.
Often the best way to determine if food is still good to eat is your own instincts. Food is usually safe unless it develops an unusual appearance, flavor, or smell.
