Cooking is one thing we all are doing in these times. From eldest to youngest everyone is experimenting with their cooking skills and exploring their hidden talents. Cooking has become easy nowadays with massive of people with enormous people guiding you with simple recipes, even suitable for amateurs. It is easy to learn to cook but very few of them will tell you about food waste, especially when you cook alone!
Food- waste is very common when someone cooks but the good part is when someone is they are easily avoidable if one cooks cautiously. This article will lead you with some easy methods one can adopt to avoid wastage of food while cooking especially when alone.
Why Waste Management of Food is Necessary?
Quoting, Pope Francis, “throwing away food is like stealing from the tables of poor and hungry”. Thus, waste management of food is a must. Those having meals regularly two times a day usually don’t realize the importance of it. Having food is a privilege in a country like ours, which has a booming population.
Thus, the prevention of food wastage is as necessary as other management. By doing our own little bit individually, we can make it successful and help many. Also, food wastage can be a major loss to the country’s economy.
Food waste is necessary as it keeps food out of landfills which is very important for environmental safety. One can cut his individual cost significantly by avoiding food waste. Always remember, if you are not wasting food you are indirectly feeding the needy person. Thus, to eliminate hunger globally one should avoid food waste and make it a habit. Avoidance of food wastage is not only an ordinance but a necessity.
Household Food Waste
According to the United Nations Development Programme, 40 percent of food produced is wasted in India per year and the household contributes up to 30 percent of this total wastage of food which is the largest portion of food waste!
Food WasteHousehold food waste refers to the wastage of food which is done in our kitchens. It includes a half-eaten meal on or plates, food scraps while cooking, rotting of food because of carelessness, and getting food more than needed.
Less of education about the wastage of food and not knowing the proper means to avoid it are some of the main reasons for household food wastage. It is needless to say that one should not and must not waste the food at home. Food wastage will help you personally in the economic sense and in battling hunger socially. Thus one should follow some ways to avoid food wastage.
Most Common Mistakes we do while Handling Our Food
As mentioned earlier, food wastage is not something that one should take lightly. We all as responsible individuals should not waste food and be aware of it. Not wasting food should be a compulsion for everyone. Ways to avoid food wastage should be taught to each from a very young age. First and foremost, we should be aware of the mistakes we do while handling food. Avoiding the following mistakes can help you economically and also indicatively reduce food wastage.
Improper planning
We should always plan before buying any food item. Improper or poor planning leads to food wastage in huge amounts.
Improper planning includes:
- Overbuying of food items: one should be aware of their weekly food demands and buy accordingly. Since some food like fruits and veggies are easily perishable one has to be extra cautious with them.
- Not checking expiry dates: we often don’t check expiry dates, ending up wasting food as well as money. Thus, expiry dates are important checkpoints while buying groceries.
- Overbuying of food items: one should always make a list of needed items and then shop them. Sale on food items lure us to buy them and hence we overbuy which eventually results in food waste.
Not storing food properly
We often keep food in the refrigerator and forgets as a result it perishes and ended up wasting. food items, Sealing all the packet food items, taking care of pests and other insects are some of the ways to store food properly.
Cooking more than needed
One is likely to overcook in the sense that accumulating food more than needed. This should be avoided as it can lead to overeating in some cases and affect us.
Excessive eating food from outside, hotels and restaurants
With the fast pacing life, we prefer outside food and ending up washing the food in our houses. Thus, one should plan and then eat out. By making the above-mentioned changes or rather avoiding these mistakes one can noticeably avoid wastage of food in his or her household.
Ways To Avoid Food Waste and Make Them Fruitful
Everyone should follow some kitchen etiquettes while cooking and working in the kitchen. There are a few things which one can do on a personal level to avoid food wastage. These small steps can make a big change. These can be your first step towards battling hunger.
- Keep the kitchen clean: whenever one is dealing with food hygiene is one of the most important things. One should keep the food in cleaned containers. All the containers and kitchen space should be cleaned properly. Cleanliness avoids insects and pests which can destroy food thus one should take care of it.
- If you have cooked more than required donate or give it to someone in need before it perishes.
Food Waste- Freeze your food in advance to increase its shelf life.
- Peels of fruits and vegetables can be used to make good quality manure.
- Use leftover food and convert them into tasty recipes.
- Use leftover or soggy fruits into smoothies and milkshakes.
- Keep food according to their required temperature especially fruits and veggies.
- Use preservation techniques while storing food.
- Do not peel the skin of fruits, they are healthy too!
- peel of fruits and vegetables can be kept in water to rejuvenate water’s taste and provide you with some extra oxidants.
- Use leftover food or scrapes in skincare routine regimes and in your personal well being!
These simple techniques do not only avoid food waste but also make it doubly advantageous!
Hence, you can actually use food waste for your own, so be responsible and witty.
Also Read; How To Reduce Food Waste Using Your Freezer?
