Reducing food loss and waste is essential in a world where millions of people go hungry every day. When we reduce waste, we respect that food is not a given for the millions of people who go hungry every day.

It’s up to us to change our habits to make not wasting food a way of life!

Here are some easy actions you can take to re-connect to food and what it stands for:

Shop Smart

Most people tend to buy more food than they need. Though buying in bulk may be convenient, research has shown that this shopping method leads to more food waste.

To avoid buying more food than you need, make frequent trips to the grocery store every few days rather than doing a bulk shopping trip once a week.

Make a point to use up all the food you purchased during the last trip to the market before buying more groceries.

Additionally, try making a list of items that you need to buy and stick to that list. This will help you reduce impulse buying and reduce food waste as well.

Store Food Correctly

Improper storage leads to a massive amount of food waste.

Many people are unsure how to store fruits and vegetables, which can lead to premature ripening and, eventually, rotten produce.

Don’t Be a Perfectionist

Did you know that rummaging through a bin of apples until you find the most perfect-looking one contributes to food waste?

Though identical in taste and nutrition, so-called “ugly” fruits and vegetables get passed up for produce that is more pleasing to the eye. The consumer demand for flawless fruits and vegetables has led major grocery chains to buy only picture-perfect produce from farmers. This leads to tons of perfectly good food going to waste.

Keep Your Fridge Clutter-Free

You’ve probably heard the saying, “out of sight, out of mind.” This rings especially true when it comes to food. While having a well-stocked fridge can be a good thing, an overly filled fridge can be bad when it comes to food waste. Help avoid food spoilage by keeping your fridge organized so you can clearly see foods and know when they were purchased.

A good way to stock your fridge is by using the FIFO method, which stands for “first in, first out.” For example, when you buy a new carton of berries, place the newer package behind the old one. This helps ensure that older food gets used, not wasted.

Save Leftovers

Leftovers aren’t just for holidays.

Although many people save excess food from large meals, it is often forgotten in the fridge, then tossed when it goes bad.

Storing leftovers in a clear glass container, rather than in an opaque container, helps ensure you don’t forget the food.

If you happen to cook a lot and you regularly have leftovers, designate a day to use up any that have accumulated in the fridge. It’s a great way to avoid throwing away food.

What’s more, it saves you time and money.

Keep Your Serving Sizes in Check

Overeating is a problem for many people.

Making sure your portion sizes stay within a healthy range doesn’t just help keep your weight down, it also reduces food waste.

While you may not think twice about scraping the leftover food on your plate into the trash, remember that food waste has a major impact on the environment.

Being more mindful of how hungry you actually are and practicing portion control are great ways to reduce food waste.

Get Friendly With Your Freezer

Freezing food is one of the easiest ways to preserve it, and the types of food that take well to freezing are endless.

You can freeze leftovers from meals, excess produce from your favourite farm stand, and bulk meals like soups and chilis. It’s a great way to ensure you always have a healthy, home-cooked meal available.

Understand Expiration Dates

“Sell by” and “expires on” are just two of the many confusing terms companies use on food labels to let consumers know when a product will most likely go bad.

In fact, the task is often left to food producers to determine the date they think a product is most likely to spoil by. The truth is, most food that has just passed its expiration date is still safe to eat.

“Sell by” is used to inform retailers when the product should be sold or removed from the shelves. “Best by” is a suggested date that consumers should use their products by.

Neither of these terms means that the product is unsafe to eat after the given date.

While many of these labels are ambiguous, “use by” is the best one to follow. This term means that the food may not be at its best quality past the listed date.

Pack Your Lunch

Although going out to lunch with co-workers or grabbing a meal from your favourite restaurant may be enjoyable, it is also costly and can contribute to food waste.

A helpful way to save money while reducing your carbon footprint is to bring your lunch to work with you.

If you tend to generate leftovers from home-cooked meals, pack them up for a satisfying and healthy lunch for your workday.

There are endless ways you can reduce, reuse and recycle your food waste.

By thinking more about the food your household wastes every day, you can help create positive change to conserve some of the earth’s most valuable resources.

Even minimal changes to the way you shop, cook and consume food will help reduce your impact on the environment. It doesn’t have to be difficult.