Reduce Food Waste

17 items · Cooking · Easy difficulty · 20 min

Cut food waste with simple kitchen habits and smarter shopping.

• Conduct a 5-minute fridge and pantry audit

  Remove spoiled items, note near-expiry foods, and check temperatures.

• Check use-by and best-before dates

  Treat use-by as safety; best-before is quality guidance.

• Move near-expiry items to the front

  Place soon-to-expire foods at eye level to encourage use.

• Label leftovers with date and contents

  Use removable tape or stickers so you know when to eat or freeze.

• Plan one 'use-it-up' meal this week

  Combine near-expiry items into a soup, stir-fry, or casserole.

• Freeze surplus fresh produce and cooked meals

  Portion before freezing in airtight containers or bags.

• Batch-cook and portion meals for future meals

  Cook larger batches and freeze individual servings to avoid waste.

• Portion meals before serving

  Serve smaller portions first; offer seconds to reduce uneaten food.

• Store fruits and vegetables properly

  Use crisper drawers, breathable bags, or wrap herbs to extend life.

• Save vegetable scraps and bones for stock

  Freeze peels and ends in a bag to make broth later.

• Set up a small compost or bokashi bin

  Choose indoor or outdoor option for unavoidable food scraps.

• Create a running inventory list on your fridge

  Note open items and approximate quantities to avoid duplicates.

• Update inventory list after shopping

  Add new items and remove consumed ones.

• Cross off items from the list as you use them

  Keep the list accurate to guide future shopping.

• Make a shopping list based on inventory and meal plan

  Buy only what you need and planned meals require.

• Buy loose produce and smaller pack sizes when possible

  Choose quantities you can use before they spoil.

• Implement a weekly leftovers night

  Schedule one night to clear the fridge and enjoy leftovers.

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