Reducing waste

Meal planning reduces the risk of over-purchasing food, so you spend and throw out less.  

• Consider how many days you want your meal plan to cover. 

• If you are time poor, consider meals that require little preparation and only a short list of ingredients. 

• Check what ingredients you already have and then plan meals and snacks with these ingredients. 

• Plan to cook a double batch and freeze the extra portions for occasions when you don’t feel like cooking. 

• Include a “leftovers lunch” or meal from your freezer in your meal plan. 

• Choose meals that incorporate fruit and vegetables that are in season, as they are often fresher and less expensive. 

• Build some flexibility into your meal plan, as some changes are inevitable. 

• Get the rest of your family or your housemates involved in the meal planning, so that meals prepared are to everyone’s tastes. 

Shopping with a list (and sticking to it) makes you less likely to impulse purchase food that you don’t need and that gets thrown out.

• Prepare your list based on your meal plan. 

• Group items on your shopping list. 

• Avoid shopping when you’re hungry. 

• Only buy special deals if they fit into your meal plan or can be stored for later. 

• Buy dry goods in bulk to save packaging, if you have the room to store them correctly. 

• Farmers markets can be a great source of fresh, seasonal produce. 

• Consider using the notes app on your phone for your shopping list, so you can mark items off as you get them. 

• Consider reusable produce bags in place of disposal ones. 

Cooking too much is one of the main reasons we waste food.

• Check who will be home for dinner before cooking. 

• Read the serving size guidelines that are often included on packaging. 

• Use smaller plates so you aren’t tempted to serve too much – it’s better to go back for seconds than to throw a plateful of uneaten food in the bin. 

• Let others serve themselves to reduce potential wastage. 

• Save leftovers in the fridge or freezer for later. 

Put your creative hat on and make a new meal from leftover meals or ingredients, before they spoil: 

• Bread – Eat as toast, garlic bread or make into croutons or breadcrumbs. 

• Cheese – Add to vegetables, frittatas, savoury scones, pasta, omelettes or nachos. 

• Diced meat (such as beef and chicken) – Add to stir-fries, stews, pies, pastas or sandwiches.   

• Fruit – Add to muffins, scones or smoothies, or stew for pastries or to eat with yoghurt or ice-cream. 

• Minced meat – Use in meatballs, lasagne, Bolognese sauce, pies or stews or as taco filling. 

• Milk – Use in smoothies, pancakes and in cheese sauces. 

• Seafood – Use in fishcakes, Buddha bowls or tacos. 

• Tomatoes – Cook with basil, add to egg dishes or use to make sauces.  

• Vegetables and herbs – Add to soups, frittatas, pies, risottos, curries, stir-fries or pasta sauce. 

Pasta, eggs, bread, pastry and lentils can be particularly useful for making new meals from old.  

Some parts of vegetables that we normally throw out are edible and can add flavour and nutrition to your meals. 

• Pumpkin skins –  Keep them on and eat them roasted or include in pumpkin soup.  

• Broccoli stalks – Steam or add to stir fries. 

• Cauliflower leaves and stem – Cut thinly and roast with olive oil and spices. 

• Carrot tops – Use to make pesto, chutney or salsa. 

• Celery tops – Chop and add to salad or soup or use with other vegetable scraps to make stock.

How we store our food can make a big difference to how long it will last. 

Storage tips for leftover meals: 

• Save leftover meals for tomorrow’s lunch. 

• Store cooked food in sealed containers once it has stopped steaming, then place in the fridge or freezer within 2 hours. 

Storage tips for leftover ingredients:

• Bread – Store in pantry out of direct sunlight or freeze excess with crusts on.  

• Meat - Cook only what you expect to eat and freeze the excess.  

• Leafy greens – Store on paper towel (to absorb excess moisture) in a container in the fridge and bring wilting greens back to life by soaking them in cold water for a few minutes. 

• Fresh herbs – Store in a glass with the roots in water so that they last longer. 

Fridge storage tips:

• Store leftovers and foods approaching their ‘use by’ date at the front of the fridge at eye level, such as on a ‘use first’ shelf. 

• Store raw meats, fish and poultry on the bottom shelf (where it is coolest), away from ready-to-eat food. 

• Avoid overcrowding your fridge. 

• Ensure your fridge is set to the correct temperature (3-4°C) 

Pantry storage tips:

• Transfer rice, flour, cereal, grains, nuts, sugar, and pasta from its packing into sealed containers and regularly clean shelves to reduce the risk of pests getting into them. 

• Learn about preserving food, as this is a great way to enjoy seasonal produce all year round. 

Freezer storage tips:

• Freeze leftovers that won’t be eaten within 2-3 days in single or family sized meal portions within sealed containers, bags or foil, for up to 3 months. 

• Label meals going in your freezer with the dish name and date so that you can keep track of what you have. 

• Ensure your freezer is set to the correct temperature (-18°C). 

Date labels:

• Be aware that ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ date labels mean different things.  

Growing your own herbs, fruits and vegetables is a great way to save money and reduce food and packaging waste. It also reduces your ‘food miles’ and carbon footprint. 

We run workshops on a variety of topics including small space gardening, beekeeping, composting and keeping chickens.