Have you ever gone through your fridge and been absolutely appalled by the amount of spoiled food that needs to be thrown in the garbage? 

Yeah, we know you have, otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this blog! But don’t fret, because we’ve all been there. In this day and age, we’ve become far more aware of the importance of limiting food waste. With this new-found awareness is the drive to be a bit more conscious of the way we handle food and some great pointers on things you can do to reduce your food waste at home:

Avoid overbuying perishables 

We all love seeing a full refrigerator and all the meal possibilities it brings, but, more often than not we end up buying far more food than can possibly consume before it reaches its expiration date. This is why we suggest purchasing your perishables in small amounts and making a run to your nearest grocery store should you need more during the week. With food delivery options, you also have the choice of having exactly what you need delivering straight to you. 

Never shop without a shopping list

Creating a shopping list is essential to avoiding repeat purchases. Often times we’ll get home from the store only to find that we didn’t need that bag of pasta we just purchased, we’ve had one there the whole time! Make a list of all the food items you need to buy while you are at home and able to check through your kitchen and storage to ensure that you really do, in fact, need what is on the list. This tip will save you money and space in the pantry while reducing waste. 

Create a weekly meal menu

Speaking of lists, why don’t you create a weekly menu, which will allow you to know exactly what ingredients you will need to buy for the week without purchasing unnecessary food items that will sit in storage until they spoil.

Learn to store your foods correctly

You might be thinking that fridge storage shouldn’t be something you need to learn it’s pretty obvious…but is it? 

Making sure your refrigerator is cool enough and transferring leftover foods to tightly sealed containers before storing them in the fridge are two of the most important and often overlooked aspects of food storage.

When bringing home a fresh batch of produce and other food items be sure to store the newly bought foods at the back and the older foods in the front. This way you’ll avoid having the older foods spoil while eating away at the fresher food.

Did you know that dairy products don’t belong in the door? The shelves in the fridge are much cooler than the door, so you are better off keeping your milk and cheeses from going bad by placing them there instead. 

Don’t throw out those leftovers

The freezer is your best friend! Start out with storing leftover food in the fridge, but make sure those containers are sealed well as we previously mentioned. You can then transfer whatever you will not be able to consume in a safe timeframe to the freezer. Don’t worry, your food will still taste just as good.

Use your overripe and wilted foods wisely

Don’t throw out your wilting and sad-looking produce, there’s so much you can still do with it. Rotten banana makes for the best banana bread, overripe veggies work beautifully in soups and those wilting herbs can be placed in an ice cube tray with olive oil and frozen for later use. The possibilities are endless!

Make use of those scraps

Just about any leftover scraps, vegetable peels, and even bones can be boiled in a large pot to make a hearty and healthy broth or stock. While most broths are only good for a few days in the fridge, you can freeze portions for later use.

For those with gardens, or even just flower and herb pots, using your food scraps can be a great addition to any nutrient-rich fertilizer. You can use stems and peels from produce and even spoiled produce if you still have any after following these tips.

Understand what the date labels really mean

“Sell by”, “use by”, and “best before” are terms that consumers often find confusing. Let us define them for you: 

“Use by” and “best before” imply that food will expire on a certain date, they should be used as guidelines. One can only tell if a food item is truly expired by sight, touch, smell, and, well, taste.

“Sell by” is the label for retailers. It lets them know the date by which the product should be sold or removed from the shelf. 

Align yourself with brands that are on the same mission

There are many businesses out there that are also trying to reduce their carbon footprint, just like you are. These include businesses that are selling foods before they go to waste, like  ذكي in Qatar, and their list of vendors and suppliers. By supporting their businesses and using their services, you too are contributing to making a difference.

With just a few easy lifestyle adjustments you can vastly reduce your food waste at home and do your bit in making the world a little more green.

Be ذكي.