5 hacks to prevent food waste

On the one hand, because of the price that was paid for it. On the other hand, we must not forget the many hours of labour, water, energy and agricultural land used to produce the food that is sold.

Everyone can contribute to reducing food waste. If you know what is “hiding” in your own fridge, kitchen cupboard or in your own food, you are not only doing something for the environment, you are also making your wallet happy. Here are a few really good life hacks for everyday life:

You can freeze many foods that you wouldn’t expect to work out. Cheese, for example, grated or in one piece, can be frozen for several weeks, just like butter or milk. Another useful kitchen hack is to freeze egg whites or egg yolks. They will definitely keep until the next baking party. Defrosted at room temperature, they are soon ready for use. Still have bananas left before leaving for your holiday? They can be peeled and cut into pieces in the freezer – and later provide refreshment in an iced smoothie with fresh berries and a dash of coconut water.

Nuts and seeds can also be kept in the freezer for longer without any problems. They can be frozen whole or ground. It is particularly clever to freeze the individual ingredients partially processed. The batter for gingerbread waffles can be prepared in a flash from buttermilk and eggs. For many recipes, only half of the packaged ingredients are needed. If you prepare double the amount straight away, you will be ready again quickly at a later date, e.g. when it comes to fried diced onions or dough for mini pizzas.

Frozen is not the only way to extend shelf life. Some vegetables, such as mushrooms and courgettes, as well as tomatoes, broccoli and peppers, can be roasted, blanched or steamed to extend their shelf life in the fridge. Salads, carrots, horseradish and radishes stay fresh for longer if they are stored in the fridge wrapped in moistened kitchen roll or a damp tea towel. To prevent potatoes from sprouting, they should always be stored in the dark or with the viewing window facing backwards. Here we have more tips on the subject of storage life.

Many people think about a meal plan for the next few days before they go shopping. Make sure that foods with a shorter best-before date, such as mushrooms, fresh spinach or minced meat, are planned earlier in the week than foods with a longer shelf life. To ensure that nothing slowly “changes colour” in the furthest corners of the fridge, newly purchased food is stored in such a way that the old food is ready to hand first. Put the new yoghurt behind the old one, etc.

In the days of our grandmothers, this was like the Amen in prayer in most households: The Friday mess. All the ingredients that had not yet been used up were “thrown” into a pot with a “good” amount of lard and fried. Today we look forward to stews, curries, omelettes or cream soups, which are a wonderful way to use up the week’s leftovers. With different spices and a few other ingredients such as soup, coconut milk, eggs or whipped cream (from the freezer!), you can cook delicious new dishes from them.

Large quantities of fruit and leafy vegetables can be turned into smoothies or milkshakes in the blender in no time at all. With a few spoons of oat flakes and ground ginger, you can quickly prepare a smoothie bowl for breakfast. Still have some watermelon left over from your visit to the outdoor pool? For the perfect sundowner, freeze 200 g of fruit flesh in cubes and mix with 2 cl white rum, 2 tbsp lime juice and 1 tbsp sugar in a blender. The watermelon daiquiri is ready.

These super simple hacks make life easier and prevent food waste. Have fun putting the tips into practice!