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About 20% of all food purchased is wasted. By avoiding food waste you can save money and help the environment by reducing your ecological footprint.
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Avoiding food waste
Avoiding food waste is good for the planet and good for your pocket.
A study in Britain has shown that over 30% of all food purchased is wasted and about 60% of that could have been avoided. Assuming that New Zealand is similar this means that 20% of all food that is purchased is unnecessarily wasted. A family that spends $200 a week on food, and wastes 20% of it, could save $40 a week ($2,000 a year) by avoiding the waste.
Avoidable food waste
1 Check your use-by dates
Know what's in your fridge, freezer and cupboards. Make sure you follow storage instructions and keep an eye on use-by dates.
The ‘Use By’ date indicates how long your food should keep safely if the storage instructions are followed. You should not buy or consume food when the ‘Use By’ date has expired and it is illegal to sell food with an expired ‘Use By’ date. However, check to see if the food can be frozen if you need to eat it at a later date.
The ‘Best Before’ date indicates when the quality of the product may begin to change. It is not a safety issue. Food can be sold beyond its ‘Best Before’ date provided it is still fit for consumption. One exception is eggs - never eat eggs after the 'best before' date.
More information about New Zealand food labeling standards.
2. Portion control
Plenty of food is thrown out because too much is cooked. Are you getting your portions right? Use the portion calculator below to check and find out about handy ways to measure just the right amount.
Portion calculator
3. Plan meals and make shopping lists
Planning your meals is one of the most effective ways you can cut wastage and food bills. Start by checking your fridge, freezer and store cupboard to see what you need to use. Decide what meals you will prepare and make a shopping list of what you don't have. Only buy enough for the meals you have planned.
4. Storage
Always follow the storage instructions on food labels. Fresh food will last longer in the fridge and even longer in the freezer. If you have food that is still good but you aren't likely to use it before its best-by date you could freeze it.
There are plenty of tips about storage at Love Food Hate Waste
5. Left-overs
Being creative with your left-over food is the clever way to save those pennies – and it really just means thinking before you throw. With a little bit of thought, you can create some delicious surprises from your leftovers - they don’t have to mean second best.
Check the internet for recipes that use leftovers such as: http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipes
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