The Zoomer Report: Food Waste

Zoomer | August 19th, 2009

How much food do you waste? If your family is typical, you probably throw out up to a third of the food you buy, and it could add up to more than $2000 a year. Here are some tips from FoodShare Toronto:

Check you your fridge and pantry properly before shopping. If you organize your fridge with the oldest food at the front you’ll use it up first.

Plan ahead

Meal plans may seem like work, knowing what you’re going to cook can keep you on track in the grocery store and ensure you Buy what you need rather than what catches your eye.

Skip the giant packages

Buying in bulk rarely saves you money because you end up wasting more.

Make “fridge soup”

There’s a reason that our parents and grandparents made so many soups, stews, curries and casseroles — they’re the perfect way to use up the not-so-beautiful ingredients.

Use your leftovers

Meal planning can help you make just enough for dinner, but making a bit extra can be a time saver. Leftovers are perfect for lunches or you can make enough extra to freeze in meal-size portions — just make sure you label and date the food so you don’t forget to use it.

The best thing about wasting less is it frees up your food budget so you can spend on special ingredients you might not normally buy.