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5 top tips for reducing food waste in your kitchen

Avoiding food waste is a great way to not only do your bit for the planet but also help your budget. For every person in Switzerland around 300 kilos of food are thrown away each year. Reducing your food waste can wipe 8% off your carbon footprint, so it’s worth paying attention to make our lifestyles that little bit more sustainable.

Our top tips for reducing food waste:

  1. Organise your fridge

Food that slips to the back of the fridge or cupboard can easily be forgotten about and left to go to waste. Instead, when you buy anything new try and stock your shelves from the back and move the oldest items to the front, so they’ll get used first. This will also help keep your fridge clear of any mystery jars or suspicious Tupperware.

  1. Store food carefully

There are some ways you can store food to help it last longer. For example, many of us keep our milk in the fridge door for easy access but moving it to the centre of the fridge will prolong its life as it’s cooler and doesn’t experience as much temperature fluctuation.

You should also avoid washing vegetables before storing them as the added moisture can make them spoil. However, if your vegetables are looking a bit withered try soaking them in water for a couple of hours before use. This can be a great way to freshen them up, especially for making soggy carrots go crunchy again.

  1. Use or freeze your leftovers

If you’re interested in meal prep, it can make sense to cook a bit more and then reuse your leftovers later in the week. Just make sure you have a plan for how and when you’re going to use them, so none of the food goes to waste.

If you don’t think you’ll use the leftovers within the next few days, then put them in the freezer. It’ll give you much longer to decide how to use them and, it’s a great fallback if you ever have a day where you just can’t be bothered to cook.

  1. Shop more often and buy less

Keeping your fridge slightly less full will help you keep track of all your fresh ingredients and ensure minimal food waste. It’s also easier to plan just a few meals at a time so that you buy exactly what you need.

We recommend always shopping after you’ve eaten because we all know that going to the shops hungry can be dangerous and lead to unnecessary impulse buys that ultimately go to waste! This is also a great tip if you’re trying to follow a diet and avoid unhealthy processed foods.

  1. Plan in advance

Try and plan your meals for the week in advance and then on your shopping list write down the amounts you need for each recipe instead of just writing an ingredients list. This will help make sure you don’t buy too much, and that no food is wasted.

You can also plan to buy seasonal fruits and vegetables to help to make your shopping cart that little bit more eco-friendly.

How are we reducing food waste at Powermeals?

We’re always focused on keeping our food waste to a minimum. Unlike other food providers we don’t cook a large amount, sell what we can and throw away the rest. We follow three key steps to make sure our food waste is kept to a minimum.

Step 1 planning in advance

We take all our orders 6 days before delivery. That means we can plan exactly what we need and cook the perfect amount. We don’t order our ingredients until after the orders are in and we’ve made our production sheets. The only downside is that you can’t add a dish to your order last minute, but we think it’s worth it.

Step 2 regular deliveries

Our great local suppliers deliver to our kitchen multiple times a week, so we’re always getting our food fresh, just before we need to cook it. Not only does this mean there’s no time for any of the ingredients to go bad, but it also means we’re cooking them when they taste their best.

Step 3 carefully portioned

All our meals are delivered in pre-portioned amounts. We let you choose from 3 plans: low-carb meals, balanced meals or larger balanced plus meals for those looking for higher protein options. This means you should get exactly the amount you need to suit your appetite and don’t need to throw anything away.

Looking to reduce your food waste?

If you want to reduce your food waste, but are struggling to plan your meals and shop regularly why not let us do the hard work for you? We deliver healthy ready-to-eat meals direct to your door once a week. Simply store them in the fridge and eat them when you’re ready.

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