9 Ways to Avoid Food Wastage at Home

Did you know, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization about 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year? This campaign encourages us to minimize waste and make informed food choices. Think you can rise to the zero wastage challenge? Cling to these tips and be the change.1) Fruits that become soft or soggy can be made into a smoothie or used in a dessert. Vegetables that are close to wilting can be made into soup or a bake.2) Avoid situations where you open your refrigerator and find things tumbling down. Buy what you need and in small quantities. Do not get lured by offers or discounts. Make a list and stick to it.3) Maintain a healthy temperature in the refrigerator so that the food remains fresh for a longer time. It is suggested to store foods between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius for maximum freshness.4) Do not set out on a food shopping spree when your stomach is rumbling with hunger or out of boredom. You'll end up buying much more than what you need.5) Keep your kitchen well organized. To avoid dumping things and then forgetting about them reorganize every two weeks. Arrange in a way so that everything is in sight and within easy reach.6) Learn the label lingo. Get into the habit of giving the labels a read. Buy only after checking the 'sell by' and 'use by' dates.7) Use a FIFO - first in, first out system for your perishables so that you don't have mystery leftovers lurking in your kitchen cabinets.8) From the farm and to the fork. Buy local produce rather packaged products to limit emissions. Go for organic products (if you can get your hands on them!) which have a lesser environmental impact.9) Use up the leftovers. A few simple tweaks and you can transform your leftovers into a novel dish. Make salads, sandwiches or anything that you fancy. (What to do with leftovers?)