We’ve all been there — standing in front of the fridge, eyeing that half-wilted bunch of herbs or the yoghurt you swore you’d finish. Food waste happens, but it doesn’t have to. A few small tweaks can help you stretch ingredients further, rescue the nearly forgotten, and save some dollars along the way. Here’s how to waste less and eat more.
Plan like you mean it
Spontaneity is great for road trips, not so much for grocery shopping. A quick fridge-and-pantry check before you shop can stop you from buying ingredients you already have (three bags of spinach, anyone?). Plan meals that use up what’s lingering, and give your leftovers a second act — last night’s roast veg could be tomorrow’s soup or salad, and that half-finished tub of sour cream is just a couple of steps away from being a zingy sauce for our herby crumbed fish fillets.
Store it right, keep it longer
Herbs thrive wrapped in paper towels in an airtight container, mushrooms prefer a paper bag, and keeping milk out of the fridge door (where the temperature fluctuates) helps it stay fresher for longer. Bananas will last the week if you keep them away from other fruit, and let’s not forget our favourite spot, the freezer—bread, cheese, cooked rice, and even herbs in oil can all be stashed for later.
Love your leftovers
Leftovers aren’t just yesterday’s news. That roast chicken can do a victory lap in sandwiches, salads, or fried rice. A sad-looking half zucchini? Grate it into fritters, toss it through pasta, or sneak it into a frittata. Stale bread? Say hello to croutons for your next soup night. The key is to think of leftovers as ingredients, not just repeats.
Scraps are your secret ingredients
One person’s trash is another person’s… very delicious snack. Carrot tops make pesto, potato peels crisp up beautifully in the oven, and parmesan rinds add an extra punch of flavour to soups and stews. Even citrus peels can be dried for tea or zested into baking.
Play FIFO: first in, first out
If you’ve ever discovered a mysterious, unidentifiable something at the back of the fridge (is it curry? Is it science?), it’s time to embrace FIFO. Keep older items at the front, newer ones at the back, and label things with dates if necessary. Before you shop, do a quick audit of your fridge (and freezer)—you might already have dinner waiting in there.
Ugly food tastes just as good
Supermarkets love their picture-perfect apples, but real fruit and veg come in all shapes and sizes. A lumpy tomato or a slightly bruised pear tastes just as good — sometimes better. And plenty of stores now sell ‘imperfect’ produce at a discount, so you can save a few bucks and rescue good food from the bin.
The bottom line? Eat first, bin last
Wasting less food doesn’t mean giving up the good stuff — it just means making the most of what you already have. You’ll be surprised at how much further your groceries (and dollars) can stretch with a bit of planning, creativity, and perhaps a bit of rearranging in the fridge. And if all else fails? Well, that’s what compost is for.