Creating a Wasteless Kitchen is Easier than You Think

You can get a lot more out of the food in your fridge than you realise. Adopting the right kitchen habits can extend the life and uses of your fresh produce while saving you money. If you’re looking to create a wasteless kitchen, start with the following tips:

Cook Stems and Seeds

Stems and seeds are usually discarded long before the pan even comes to a simmer. It may be customary to set these aside before you cook, but sometimes you’re unknowingly throwing out the best parts of your vegetables. Kale ribs, fennel stalks and carrot tops are just a few of the often-discarded vegetable parts that can add more flavour to a dish. Learning how to cook seeds and stems is as good as learning an entirely new menu to cook. Root-to-Stem cooking adds flavour, colour and texture to some of your favourite dishes. It’s an easy way to repurpose old recipes while getting the most out of the food in your fridge.

Make Meal Plans

How many times have you gone grocery shopping, wondered what to cook for dinner, and then bought ingredients you already had at home? Meal planning is an effective way to reduce food waste and slash your grocery bill in half. When you know what you’re going to eat, nothing stays in your fridge or pantry longer than it has to. There’s also no need to actually head to the grocery store. If you have a shopping app, you can order everything and have it delivered to you. It’s even better when you have coupons for food and other household items. You can redeem your coupons and cash in on a promo before you checkout.

Study Storage

Changing your fridge’s temperature, using Ziplock bags and keeping certain food items in their original packaging can significantly extend their lifespan. Wrapping lettuce in aluminium foil, brushing lemon juice on avocado halves and storing mushrooms in a paper bag are just some of the ways to keep food fresh for longer.

Organise Your Pantry

Think about all the times you bought something only to realise you have an abundant supply of it when you get back home? An untidy pantry is usually to blame for this common mistake. Doing a quick check of which ingredients you need to buy at the store is much easier when you have a clean pantry. This prevents you from buying spices, stock and seasoning that you already have.

Keep Fruit in Sight

Out of sight, out of mind usually applies to fruit storage, leading to unnecessary waste. Keep fresh fruit on the counter where everyone in the house can snack on. That said, there are times when fruit will need to go in the fridge. This includes when it’s getting too ripe or when you won’t be in the house for a few days.

There’s plenty you can do to reduce the kitchen waste. Just a few tweaks to your recipes, storage habits and meal planning can put less waste in your kitchen and more money in your pocket.