Stop Food Waste Day: 4 Tips to Reduce your Food Waste
Apr 24, 2023
Stop Food Waste Day: 4 Tips to Reduce your Food Waste
Over 7.3 million tonnes of food is wasted in Australia every year - which equates to nearly 300kgs of food per person per year. That’s a really alarming figure and it can be overwhelming to think about the amount of food that goes to waste in Australia every year. Let’s come together and do what we can to limit our food waste for the sake of our planet.
Shop smarter
Let’s start simple: shop smarter! Even if you don’t do the bulk of the grocery shopping it’s important to understand the concept of shopping smarter for our planet. 45% of Australians admit to over-buying in their grocery shop contributing to that 7.3 million tonnes of yearly food waste. You can help by planning your meals ahead of time – use the same ingredients for multiple meals and make the most of every ingredient.
Don’t judge your food by its cover
So much food goes to waste because it doesn’t look how we might expect it to. Many grocery stores now offer discounts for food that doesn’t look picture perfect – Harris Farm has their ‘imperfect’ produce, and Woolworths sells their ‘Odd Bunch’ at a reduced price. The best part is, there’s nothing wrong with this produce whatsoever, it just looks a little rough around the edges.
Donate to food relief organisations
Food relief groups like OzHarvest or Second Bite are passionate about feeding the hungry while also reducing food waste – talk about a win-win! What could be better than saving surplus food from ending up in landfill and delivering it to charities that help feed people in need. Do some research and consider donating your food, time or money to any of these worthwhile organisations.
Share your waste
This one could not be easier – download the ShareWaste app and pass on your leftovers to someone who’ll make use of it. If you don’t do your own composting, someone nearby will make great use of your leftovers and compost it. ShareWaste connects you with nearby composters who would love to recycle your scraps.
For more check out CleanUp.org!
Love your food? Work in the hospitality industry! Explore jobs hiring teens here.