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One of the easiest ways to reduce your food waste is to buy what you need, and eat what you buy. But anyone who has set foot in a supermarket knows that is easier said than done. Supermarkets can be overwhelming, with treats on offer, new products to try and so many choices – it’s no surprise that people often walk out with far more food than they need.
Avoiding this means going to the supermarket with a meal plan and a shopping list.
Many people consider meal planning a chore – after all, it is hard to predict what you may feel like for dinner later in the week. But if you do it, there are a lot of potential savings in time, money, food and stress. Here are some tips to get you started:
Look for food that you can use in multiple meals across the week. A big batch of mince can be used for spaghetti one night and burritos the next.
If you are struggling with recipe ideas, try setting up a weekly theme night. It might be meat-free Mondays, tacos on Tuesdays or fish on Fridays. This can be fun and makes it easier to plan.
It’s nice to let the other members of the household have some say about what’s for dinner, so consult them when you’re planning. If you have children who are old enough, you can get them to help cook the meal that they have chosen.
If you are making something that can easily be doubled, do so. The second batch can go in the freezer for later. When making something like lasagne, it doesn’t take much extra effort to make two.
Always have a back-up in the freezer. Having a quick and easy meal on hand means that even if your plans change, you can feed your family without a trip to the supermarket.
If possible, include a night where dinner is about eating up leftovers and any other foods that are close to expiring. Instead of thinking of this as a boring meal, make it fun. Pull out all of your leftovers and any other bits and pieces, place them in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves. Or let everyone make their own ‘leftover night’ pizzas.
While fresh sweetcorn may be a favourite in summer, you will struggle to find it in May. Cooking with seasonal ingredients keeps costs down and ensures you’re eating fresh produce.
Trying new recipes is a great way to ensure variety in what you’re eating and extend your cooking repertoire. Try adding one or two new recipes a week – it could become a new favourite.
