Reducing household food waste

Do you know how much food is wasted in Australia? It may surprise you to learn that 15.3 million tonnes end up in landfill each year. It is estimated that households generate 42% of that amount.

Reducing food and waste sent to landfill will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect biodiversity and can save households $2,000 to $2,500 yearly. 

What is food waste 

Food waste refers to food that is produced for human consumption but is not eaten. It can happen at any stage in the supply chain, from farms and factories to shops and households. There are many reasons wastage occurs: 

• Crops are left unharvested. 
• Food is rejected because of size or appearance. 
• Improper labelling makes the product unsellable.
• Food is thrown away because it has passed its ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date. 
• Cooking or serving more food than is needed. 

 In Australia, the most common items sent to landfill include:

• beef 
• bread 
• cheese 
• salads. 

Ways to stop food waste

Making simple changes can decrease food waste in your home, save you money and help the environment. Avoid throwing money and food in the bin with these practical tips and resources. 

Use up food and leftovers

It is a shame to let good food go to waste. Using leftovers is a great way to save time and money. Here are some great ideas for reducing or using leftovers. 

• Avoid buying prepared meals if you have leftovers at home. 
• Take your leftovers to work or school for lunch. 
• Freeze leftovers and use them for something else. Spaghetti bolognese makes a great pie or jaffle filling!
• Keep older food at the front of your fridge or pantry, so it is used first. 
• Add recipes to your weekly meal plan for food items that you often forget and end up having to throw out, like roast veggies into a curry, cooked rice into fried rice and carrots into fritters. 
• Preserving food extends its life. Methods like pickling, brining and dehydrating are easy and can be done at home. 
• Use online recipe finders like Foodwise and OzHarvest. These will provide you with recipes based on ingredients you currently have in your pantry or fridge. 

Buy and prepare only what you need

Minimise food waste by only buying and preparing what you need. Make the move to better habits with these easy ideas. 

• Make a grocery shopping list and check your fridge, freezer and pantry before writing items on the list to avoid buying things you may already have. Download the shopping list template(PDF, 4MB).
• Plan for how many people you need to prepare meals for. If you are unsure, choose a recipe that can be stored. 
• If you are unable to store food appropriately, instead of throwing it out, reach out to neighbours, friends and family who may be able to take it. 
• Prepare meals and snacks at home, instead of eating out. This will also save you money! 

Store food appropriately

Storing food appropriately reduces your risk of serious illness. It will also keep your favourite fruit or vegetables fresher for longer. Here are some simple things you can do to reduce spoilage.

• Store leftovers in clear containers or jars. If you cannot see it, you may forget about it. 
• Mark leftovers with the date they were stored so you know what needs to be used first. Download the freezer storage label template(PDF, 4MB).
• Check your fridge settings, and if needed, adjust the temperature to be between one and 5 degrees Celsius. 
• If you find food degrading too quickly, try these tips: 
• Save large glass jars and lids and use them to store fruit and vegetables such as leafy greens, spinach, berries, cut-up shallot stalks, asparagus or celery. 
• Use air-tight containers lined with paper towels underneath and on top of vegetables, and store in the fridge crisper. 
• Limp vegetables need soaking in cold water. Chill in the fridge until you prepare the meal. 
• Our Queensland summers can deteriorate food quickly if left out of the fridge or freezer. Ripen avocados and fruit for a couple of days, then store them in the fridge and use them within the week. 
• Bread, rolls, muffins and crumpets are best stored in the fridge or freezer. If using the freezer, open the packaging and separate the slices for easy access to portions/slices. 
• Bananas are best out of the fridge. If they become too ripe, freeze them and use them to bake a banana cake or banana ice cream. 
• Save time on workdays and prepare meal bags or containers of ingredients to store in the freezer or fridge if they are just vegetables. Take them out the day before to defrost in the fridge. Add the prepped ingredients to a large pot, fry pan, wok, or slow cooker. Ensure you cut vegetables that cook more slowly into smaller pieces and those that cook faster into larger pieces.