Did you know that one third of all food produced globally is wasted? Shocking, right?

We’ve all done it. We’ve been lazy and decided to toss all of our waste into the garbage without sorting the recyclables from the compost. At first, it doesn’t seem like a big deal because we’re only one person, but collectively as a community, our wasteful habits add up quickly!
Today’s blog post is tucking into the easiest of habits and tools that you can implement to ensure that you are reducing your carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions.

1. Plan it out

If you read our last post, “6 grocery shopping mistakes you might be making,” you’ll recognize the importance of this first tip. Taking a moment to check your pantry, fridge, and freezer before heading to the stores, is the easiest tip for reducing food waste because you end up buying less! How easy was that? Once you have a kitchen inventory list, take a moment to plan your meals for the week based on the ingredients you have on hand. Craft a rough idea of what you’d like to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner before creating your list. These two steps will take five minutes at most, but they will save your hundreds of dollars each year!

2. Learn to love leftovers

Don’t double the effort, double the batch! When it comes to cooking your favorite meals, cook them in bulk so you can buy ingredients in bulk. This allows to you to plan your meals for numerous weeks because you have easily accessible leftovers and have next to no waste involved!
If you’re in a pinch and have vegetables that are about to go bad, toss them into chili, soup or stew. They soak up all the delicious flavors and save you from pitching them before getting a chance to eat them!

3. Grow your own food – create a small garden

If you’re in the city, this might pose a challenge, but there are always potted plants and herb gardens!
Creating your own garden is the easiest way to reduce your food waste and carbon footprint – talk about a double whammy! Try growing some of the most commonly consumed fruits and vegetables in your household (strawberries, zucchini, kale, spinach, carrots) and watch your grocery bill drop and your body fall madly in love with nutritious homegrown food! This way, you will only pick the quantity of fruits/vegetables/herbs that you need at the time.

4. Keep it fresh

Another way to reduce your food waste is to use vegetables that are about to head south in home made vegetable broth. Simply peel, chop and add to your crock pot with a few spices and liters of water and you have yourself homemade broth! When it comes to fresh fruit, it’s easier to spread the fruit on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or you can use beeswax wraps if you want to take it up a notch!) and freeze them for 1-2 hours before placing them in a freezer-safe bag for morning smoothies.