5 Ways To Reduce Your Food (& Financial) Waste

Wasting food can cost Irish households up to €700 per year.

April 26 is Stop Food Waste Day – the only full day dedicated to the fight against food waste. And let us tell you, it’s incredibly needed.

Irish households alone contribute up to 31% of food waste in Ireland, which means that we are – for the most part – all culpable.

Left that milk out on the counter and it’s spoiled? You’re contributing to food waste. Bought too much broccoli because it was on special offer even though you knew you wouldn’t get through it all? You’re contributing to food waste. Purchased a sourdough loaf on the weekend even though you were planning to eat out for every meal Saturday and Sunday? You’re contributing to food waste.

Reducing food waste isn’t all about just saving money either (as it stands we’re wasting up to €700 per household per year here in Ireland), it’s also crucial in reducing greenhouse emissions on a global scale by almost 10%.

So, to help us all out, our friends at HelloFresh have put together some simple tips to reduce food – and financial – waste today… and every day going forward.

 

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1. Plan Ahead

Before buying new ingredients, check what you have in the cupboard. By keeping track of what you have and don’t have, you can avoid purchasing duplicate food items. Creating meal plans is also an effective way to buy exactly what you need. Disregard special offers and buy only what you plan to use. HelloFresh portions out ingredients to minimise waste, with many customers reporting less waste overall, including 70% fewer scraps during food preparation.

2. Strategic Storage

Imagine your cupboard as a jigsaw puzzle – all the parts need to fit together. We often use whatever containers are in our kitchen to store food, but different sizes waste space. Use consistent containers and stack bags of food. Think about the temperature and humidity of your cupboards, as this will have an impact on the shelf life of your food. Store bread in a bread bin or a paper bag at room temperature. Don’t store bread in the fridge, as this will speed up the process of deterioration.

3. Fridge Focus

Be sure your fridge is set to the correct temperature and learn what goes where. The top shelf is the warmest part of the fridge and best for ready-to-eat dairy products and other prepared foods/leftovers. Keep milk there too – it’s a myth that milk goes in the drawer of the fridge, as it gets a blast of hot air every time you open the door. Keep raw meat, fish, and poultry in sealed packaging on the bottom shelf, which is the coolest part of the fridge. The bottom drawer of the fridge keeps vegetables fresh and crisp. Door racks are the best places for eggs, condiments, jam, and juice.

 

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4. Freeze!

Slice and freeze your bread. If you buy a baguette that becomes rock hard, turn it into breadcrumbs and freeze them! Defrost the bread as needed, or use one slice at a time and toast to defrost. Blanch vegetables and freeze them – then put them into the steamer when you’re ready to use them. This saves time and prevents your veggies from going to the landfill.

5. Repurpose

As part of its commitment to reducing surplus food, HelloFresh has partnered with Irish Food Waste reduction pioneer FoodCloud – so far this partnership has led to the redistribution of over 12,000 meals to those who need it avoiding nearly 12 tonnes CO2 equivalent. At home, find ways to redistribute food to your local community – or find inventive ways to use up ingredients.

HelloFresh has also partnered with FoodCloud to help combat food waste and support local communities. This initiative not only benefits the environment but also addresses food insecurity by providing nutritious meals to those who need it most.

For €55 off across your first 4 HelloFresh boxes, all you need to do is…*

1. Go to hellofresh.ie/gcf

2. Apply the voucher code HELLOSTELLAR

3. Create your HelloFresh account

4. Select your recipes

* New customers only. Must be 15 or over. Delivery fees apply after first box discount. These are dynamic discounts and will apply depending on your box size.Once redeemed you will be signed up to a flexible rolling weekly subscription. You can cancel or pause your subscription at any time but no later than 11:59pm on Wednesday the calendar week before your delivery is due to arrive. 1 voucher per household. Valid for ROI residents only. Cannot cater for dietary requirements. See hellofresh.ie/terms for full T&Cs.
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