5 best ways to manage kitchen waste effectively at home

Kitchen waste, or in other words, food waste, as per reports, contributes to around 8% of greenhouse gasses around the world. Additionally, around one-third of all the food produced goes to waste, resulting in immense global pollution.

A lot of kitchen waste takes place during the production and transportation of food items. However, there are specific tasks that you can undertake at home that can lead to a reduction in food waste.

As India gears up for its 9th year celebration of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, here are five ways in which you can manage kitchen waste effectively.

1. Plan and shop smart

Planning meals and shopping accordingly on a weekly basis is one of the critical ways in which one can manage their food consumption and, in turn, kitchen waste. Plan which days in a week you will be eating outside, and then plan the meals you will be eating at home and what ingredients and their corresponding amounts you will be needing for the same.

Check the fridge to see what ingredients you already have and what you need to purchase. While purchasing, only buy the ingredients you need and don’t buy unrequired items out of impulse. Purchase your items logically, i.e., if you aren’t going to consume them before their expiration date, then don’t buy them, as they will likely go to waste and you’ll dispose of them.

1. Store food items properly

Try to learn about the various ways to store different food items to increase their longevity. Some food products, like bananas, emit natural gasses after some days, which can result in other surrounding items getting spoiled and thus needing to be stored separately. Ensure that the fridge is cooled to the appropriate temperature so that it can help increase the shelf life of the stored items.

1. Organize with the FIFO rule

Organize your pantry and fridge using the ‘first in, first out’ (FIFO) rule. This rule ensures that the food items that were bought recently are stored at the back, hence allowing you to use the older produce first. This ensures that the older food items are used and not pushed to the back and eventually rot when new ones are bought.

1. Understand expiration dates

Confusion about food expiration dates contributes to around 20% of the world’s kitchen waste. According to reports, around 84% of consumers dispose of food items when they come near their expiration date, when the items are still fit for consumption. ‘Use by’ expiration dates should be adhered to strictly, while ‘best before’ dates give a larger time bandwidth to consume the item. Understand these terminologies and use your senses to effectively manage food waste.

1. Dispose in appropriate waste bins

Disposing of food waste in appropriate waste bins is an effective way to segregate and manage your kitchen waste. As outlined in a Swachh Bharat Abhiyan guideline, ensure that the bins are color-coded so that you can distinguish between wet waste, dry recyclable waste, and reject waste items.

Managing kitchen waste effectively can not only enable you to make your environment clean but also help you inculcate a balanced food habit as well.