Despite people screaming about inflation globally, I find it shocking to know that food waste is still a rampant issue across the globe. Honestly, I didn’t know how huge this was until a while ago; I was listening to a radio program this morning and the invited guest briefly mentioned it, advising people to cut down their food waste because of its negative impact on the ecosystem.
Aside from the fact that there are so many people who can’t afford food around the world, I think it’s a terrible thing to waste food whether you have money for excess or just little. I believe that food is a sacred item, a gift from nature that deserves to be appreciated and utilized appropriately.
I don’t appreciate food wastage around me, and my siblings know how severe the punishment is when caught. I think it all started with my mom cautioning me about wasting when I was very young, and it became part of me.
There was a time I wanted to impress her by cooking beans before she returned home from work. The beans came out terrible; it wasn’t soft, it was watery and tasteless. I made up my mind to discard the food, but mom came home earlier than the usual time. She was angry, and I had to eat that bean for two straight days. She didn’t hesitate to buy me bread, pap, cornmeal at different times, but I finished the beans before eating a different meal in the house.
My Minimalist Approach to Preventing Food Waste.
Embracing minimalism took my food management to a different level, and I felt it would be nice sharing some tips to avoid food wastage.
Shop with a List
Judging by what I see every day, food wastage begins with what we purchase, and it’s one of the reasons why I go to the market with a shopping list. This is a list I have trimmed down the best way I can, cutting down the unnecessary things I might have included earlier. Going to the market without a list would definitely make me get things I really don’t need, which might eventually go to waste in the end.
My wife actually prepares the list; we go through it over and over again to be sure nothing is left out while unnecessary things get kicked out. We work on the list, and that has always prevented us from wasting food items, especially perishable items that can’t be kept for long.
Plan Meals Thoughtfully
Meal planning is another way we prevent food waste. I am not a fan of making a timetable because my belly can be very unstable, and there might be need for changing meals.
Avoid Cooking Ahead for Guests.
I don’t cook ahead of my guests’ arrival because any disappointment would mean wastage if there is nobody to share with. I learned my lesson the hard way after preparing some snacks for a beach visit with some friends, only for them to change plans. I ended up giving out the stuff. I have exemptions, though, because there are people who don’t disappoint when they promise to visit.
Reusing Spoilage for Animals
Sometimes, food unexpectedly gets bad, and this can lead to wastage, but that’s not with me because I have birds that would love to have my leftovers or veggies that are getting bad. It would even save me money on their feeds, so it’s a win for me and for the birds having something natural to eat.
It’s important that we cut down our food waste drastically, not just for our good but for the ecosystem as a whole. I would love to know your minimalist approach to preventing food wastage so that I can learn from you as well.
All Image Are Mine.
