TickYouOff
Sign in
Back
♻️

Reducing Food Waste at Home

Easy 22 items · 20 min
testuser's avatar
testuser Published 2 weeks ago
Cooking

A practical checklist to help households reduce food waste through smarter shopping, fridge organization, portion control, freezing, stock-making, and composting. Ideal for busy families, roommates, or anyone who wants to save money and cut kitchen waste with simple daily habits.

Progress
0 / 22
  1. Sort fridge using first-in, first-out (FIFO) — Move older items to the front and put newly bought foods to the back.
  2. Label leftovers and open packages with date — Write contents and date so you know when to eat or freeze them.
  3. Organize fridge by category and safety — Keep raw meat on the bottom, ready-to-eat foods up top, and dairy together.
  4. Check use-by versus best-before and act accordingly — Use-by = safety (discard after); best-before = quality (often OK after).
  5. Plan meals for the coming week before shopping — List meals from what you already have to avoid duplicate purchases.
  6. Make a shopping list from your meal plan and stick to it — Buy only what you need and cross-check pantry items first.
  7. Buy loose or smaller quantities when trying new items — Choose smaller packs or single items to avoid spoilage before use.
  8. Portion-control meals: measure and serve sensible portions — Use measuring cups or a scale to avoid cooking excess food.
  9. Save and eat leftovers within 3 days — Consume refrigerated leftovers within 3 days or freeze sooner.
  10. Freeze surplus cooked meals and surplus produce — Freeze extras in meal-sized portions to extend life.
  11. Cool cooked food completely before freezing — Cool to refrigerator temperature before sealing to reduce ice crystals.
  12. Portion frozen food into meal-sized packs — Split meals into single-serve containers or bags for easy reheating.
  13. Make scrap vegetable stock from peelings and trimmings — Turn peels and ends into a flavourful stock instead of throwing them out.
  14. Collect veg scraps in a jar or bag for stock — Keep a container on the counter or freezer-ready bag in the fridge.
  15. Freeze scraps until you have enough for a batch — Store scraps in the freezer to avoid spoilage and build volume.
  16. Simmer frozen scraps into stock and strain for use — Simmer 30–60 minutes, strain, cool, and freeze or refrigerate stock.
  17. Set up a small countertop or outdoor compost bin — Collect coffee grounds, fruit/veg scraps, and yard waste for composting.
  18. Choose a bin type and ideal location — Pick a kitchen caddy or outdoor bin and a shady, accessible spot.
  19. Start compost with a brown (dry) layer — Add paper, dry leaves, or cardboard as the base for balance.
  20. Add greens, aerate, and turn the compost weekly — Alternate greens and browns and mix to speed decomposition.
  21. Check fridge and freezer temperatures and adjust — Keep fridge ≤ 4°C (40°F) and freezer ≤ -18°C (0°F) for safety.
  22. Repurpose imperfect produce into soups, smoothies, or bakes — Use bruised fruit in smoothies and soft veg in purees or soups.
Sign in to save
📝 My Notes