A third of the food produced in the world is lost or wasted. And with it, so are countless resources: from water and seeds to the energy used in transport and processing. This has enormous consequences for the environment, as food waste increases greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to climate change. In the midst of so much wasted food, there are millions of people in the world for whom eating is a daily challenge. What can you do so that your food is not among the tons wasted every day?
- Conscious buying
FAO suggests not buying more than your family needs in order to reduce the risk of wasting food unnecessarily. Don’t get carried away by offers: really think about whether you are going to consume it. At restaurants, order rationally to avoid food leftovers. If there are any leftovers, take them home.
- Sharing is caring: donate food to help others
If you have food in perfect condition but you are not going to eat it, donate it. There will always be someone who will be happy to receive it.
- Learn to love the ugly foods
Many fruits and vegetables are discarded in shops simply because they do not meet arbitrary cosmetic standards due to not having the same shape, size or gloss as others. The taste is the same; don’t let that fruit or vegetable go to waste!
- Check the food in the fridge
Keep an eye on fresh food and plan your meals so you don’t have to throw anything away. To do this, it is important to understand the dates on food labels. Remember that, although the quality of the product may be inferior, “Best before” does not mean “Throw away after”. Check it out before throwing it away!
- Turn waste into compost
Did you know that home composting can divert up to 150 kg of food waste per household per year? If you don’t have a composter in your home, throw organic foods in the brown container.
Reducing loss and waste means respecting the food and the natural resources, effort and investments that it entails. Do you want to adopt more of these habits? Here you can find out more. Make #NoWaste food your way of life!
