Now is a good time to think about food waste

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Now is a good time to think about food waste

Food-waste-image-1024x683.jpg

As the supermarket shelves empty due to panic stockpiling, now is not a bad time to think about how you buy, use and dispose of food. In the current circumstances, buying what you don't need/more than you need may be depriving someone else who does actually need it. My mother, for example, could not find bread nor eggs, forcing her to repeatedly venture to the supermarkets in search of them, putting herself at risk (she is elderly and has a heart condition, so is in the top 1% of people at risk of dying from COVID-19).

 

The people who can help her with her shopping either do not have the transport to do so or, by the time they finish work and can go to the shops, the shelves are empty. Online delivery is not an option as all the slots here have been booked into next month by people stockpiling. She is not the worst off. She is still mobile. Some people are not. Some people have even more serious conditions that put them at even more risk. Many supermarkets here in the UK have started rationing certain products and/or introducing shopping slots for the elderly and disabled, but still the shelves are empty of certain necessities.

 

Please people, stop stockpiling and have a thought for others!

 

In addition, did you know that around one third of the food produced around the world goes to waste? Did you know that this waste accounts for something like 8-10% of the world's greenhouse gases, so is seriously damaging our environment and our future?

 

Apart from buying less, I have a few suggestions:

 

- Keep an eye on what you have in your fridge and kitchen and try to use it before it goes off. There are eco friendly devices that can help keep vegetables etc. fresher for longer and there are Apps that help you to plan recipes around what you already have.

- For those of you in areas where supermarkets, local convenience stores, restaurants, cafes, bakeries etc. etc. are still operating, there may be Apps that allow you to buy unsold food that is still fresh, but would otherwise be thrown away, at discounted prices. You save money, you help to save the environment, and you might just be helping to save businesses that are really struggling to survive right now. It is better for them to get something, rather than nothing, for unsold food. Apps in the UK (might be available elsewhere, I'm not sure), include Karma and Too Good to Go.

- Go through your freezer and larder. Is there stuff lurking in there that you could use for your next meal? Get creative with recipes so you don't automatically have to go and buy more food. Think about what you could donate to a food bank or similar charity. There are also Apps where you can give unwanted food to your neighbours.

- Talking of the freezer, it's very easy to freeze bread, fruit and all sorts of things before they go off so they can be consumed later. Do be mindful though of food safety and don't refreeze stuff that it's not safe to do.

- If you have time on your hands, which many of us do, or are looking for ways to keep young ones occupied, think about using some of your foodstuffs to make jams, chutneys etc. Over ripe bananas are perfect for making banana cake/bread and I recently made up a few jars of chutney from courgettes and tomatoes I knew I wouldn't get through. If you put them in nice jars and label them, these can make great homemade gifts. 

- Is bread scarce at your supermarket? Think about baking your own, especially if you have that "unwanted gift" of a breadmaker sitting around. I bet if you baked it yourself, you would be more reluctant to throw it away!

- Inevitably, you will have some scraps to throw away, such as peelings, egg shells, used tea bags and coffee grounds. If your local council has a food waste collection scheme, please use it. If you have a garden, try composting (could save you money too, as well as reducing the environmentally damaging peat based compost you might be buying). 

 

I am slowing working through my cupboards and freezer. I am actually astounded by how often I think, "I have nothing to eat.. better pop to the shops," when actually I have lots of food. Previous guests leave so much behind. Don't throw it away! Think of how you might use it, or give it to someone who will.

 

106 Replies 106
Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Good morning @Huma0  I hope your mum is doing well in these challenging times.

I bet she cheered on the 83 year young lady & others around those ages who are speaking up and saying what they think about how to go about their lives...

 I've read some brilliant Twitter comments from across the way, and language I wouldn't expect to see from those with close ties to people in high ranks, makes me wonder what some of the later  are saying!

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

By the way, a friend told me yesterday that she made fritters from tinned sweetcorn and leftover pancake mix. She said they looked horrible, but tasted amazing!

 

Innovative recipe ideas for using up store cupboard stuff or other suggestions for reducing food waste would be appreciated 🙂

@Huma0 , I made fritters last night as well. 

Mine were with a batter that included ginger, garlic, paprika, one third of a packet of salt reduced French onion soup, and Thai seasoning, with some chilli. In the chopper I finely cut zucchini, carrot and mushroom: zapped in the microwave. Added what I had left of a bbq chicken, finely diced mixed in and Cooke din the frypan =  voila!

Served with sweet chilli sauce.

 

They would have been even better with some fresh Vietnamese mint added.

Great way to use leftovers, or make and freeze for another day!.

 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Cathie19 

 

Sorry, I literally only saw this post now even though it is over two years old. That sounds absolutely delicious. I am definitely going to try it as it contains some of my favourite spices and seasonings and sounds like you could use a multitude of leftovers and adapt the recipe as needed.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Huma0  Great topic. Years ago when I lived in Canada, a friend was teaching an environmental studies class in junior high school. He did a project with the kids re garbage and recycling. He made it fun for them- they donned hazmat suits, which they had decorated, then went into all the classrooms and "stole" the garbage cans. They then separated the garbage into paper products, metal, plastic, ad food waste and weighed it. 80% of the garbage by weight was "edible food"- entire apples, oranges, entire untouched sandwiches. Moms had packed lunches for their kids, which the kids simply tossed in the garbage can, probably going to the corner store for chips and cokes instead. That kind of food waste borders on criminal.

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Sarah977  80%! Really, that’s shocking. So here the schools are closed except to the kids of key workers and children considered the most vulnerable. However, it’s certainly something to think about in the future.

 

The exercise you describe goes some way to educating kids about this stuff and I wish more schools did this. When I was at school, we weren’t allowed off the premises at lunch time until we were 16 and, even then, were not allowed to eat in the street and, yes, they did keep track of us! I know you things have changed. I see the the local school kids buying crisps and sweets or greasy take away at lunch time.

 

I wonder what other ways we can encourage kids not to throw away those packed lunches.

Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

@Huma0  I have been composting so long I am now totally grossed out by the idea of actual food in the garbage bin in my house!  Of course sometimes I get lazy and put compostable stuff in the trash on the night of pick up but having apple cores and wilted lettuce in the kitchen bin seems totally disgusting to me.  Our last guests recycling nothing, and in fact, their trash was so gross w/food particles that I only picked up the recycling that was right on top, and that means it was really, really bad.

 

The issue with people stockpiling stuff is that when you do go to the grocery store and there is an  hour line where 'social distancing' is then impossible or no meat on the shelf, this feeds the idea that you do need to stockpile.  So, it is a self re-enforcing thing, I didn't begin to worry until I saw all the totally empty grocery shelves in NYC.  

 

I don't know if they are doing it in London, but here several stores have started having a one hour, first thing in the morning time for people over 60 to shop.  That enables them presumably to shop with the stores are well stocked and limits their exposure to others, limits the lines, etc.  Not all grocery stores here are doing it but some are. 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Mark116 Yes they are doing that one hour slot thing at some supermarkets here but I am not sure if it’s working that well yet. Fingers crossed it will start to.

 

Yes, I do get that it’s natural instinct to stockpile in these circumstances, but I feel people are really going overboard and buying more than they can use and then maybe throwing a lot of it away. One time when my mum tried to find bread in the supermarket, the guy in front of her had six loaves in his trolley. Who knows, maybe he needed all of them, but he certainly wasn’t thinking about the breadless granny behind him!

 

Good to hear about your home composting. I tried for years and never quite got the hang of it, so I am glad I can give food scraps to the local composting scheme. I may have just got an ineffective composter though. Bought my mum a very pricey one (yes, that is actually what she requested for her birthday) and it works like a dream. It may help that her garden is like a Mediterranean micro climate, while mine is rather shady.

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

@Mark116 

@Huma0 

 

A great way to do composting is to collect scraps in an old ice-cream container and then dig a hole in the garden mixed with trusty coffee bean dredges from a local cafe.

 

 It's one of the best systems to work in cities.

 

Whilst some claim worms don't like citrus peel I cut it up small ( Yes I know I should make homemade peel for Fruit cake mix but...)  they do decompose well.

 

Worms love them, I also crunch up my egg shells & scatter them in the garden.

 

Whilst out in the garden this week I came across a 7 inch long worm, there's well over 100 segments long.

 Very healthy specimen with babies.

When I am able I may put a photograph up.

Unfortunately it's got a long way to grow to catch up to our New Zealand record length worm.

 

 To those of you who eat ice-cream that comes in square containers, wash them out and collect them and advertise them online for sale.

There's people who don't or can't eat ice-cream who will buy them for worm farms, catching slugs & snails & a number of other ideas.

 I've just had another very happy customer buy my pile!!

I could have sold them several times 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Helen427 

 

That's interesting. I never heard of that method of composting nor the demand for empty ice cream containers!

 

For the time being, all our food waste goes to the local council's composting scheme. I have to say that my long-term guests have been very good about using the caddy for their scraps, although I have hosted some who threw away and extraordinary amount of food.

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

@Huma0 

That's wise older people and how they teach us younger ones how to make use of things without waste.

 

 If you put 2 holes in them & flip them over bottom up they are a great slug & snail catcher!

They slide onto the lid so you don't need to touch them.

 

That doesn't help me though with the sneaky darn slug that I've yet to find out how it comes into my kitchen on random occasions.

 

i learnt the ice-cream container tips  from the delightful lady who wanted the last lot I sold 

 

Empty toilet rolls are great for scooping them up to, along with other creepy crawlies coming into our homes and gardens as unpaid Guests...

 

I believe one of the other interested parties who missed out on the containers wanted them for their baby mice....

 

Do you have the square ice-cream containers where you are?

 

We have all many of shapes and sizes but not everyone eats the same ones or ice-cream at all.

 

They are great for putting Homemade goodies  in for school & church fairs.

 

All properties should have recycling systems in place, just like in earlier times.

 

Ashes from fires are brilliant for around trees & in gardens and help prevent diseases on fruit.

 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Helen427 

 

Yes we do get those containers here but I never buy them. I usually buy the ones made of card. I have used empty toilet rolls for growing sweet pea seedlings though!

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Oh and @Mark116 yes, getting some guests to recycle or separate waste can be a nightmare. A lot of people think it’s an unreasonable thing to ask even if it is already mentioned on my listing. I normally have to get the rubber gloves out and get stuck into the grossness to sort it out. At least now with no guests that’s one less thing to worry about.

Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

Some great ideas, @Huma0 .  I was thinking about how my late mother would respond to our concerns now.  She was of the greatest generation that lived though the world depression and WWII.  Her stories included how people became more self-sufficient, helped each other and got used to the rationing of goods. Perhaps remembering the stories will help trigger solutions and reduce the panic causing stockpiling. 

One big difference is we are faced with the suddeness of how quickly we have to react.  On the other hand we have a greater ability to connect with each other and share how to deal.  Your post is an example.

Here's my thought:  Invent a new soup.  Produce that is getting less inviting can be incorporated into a soup.  Bananas that are going soft are usually at the peak of sweetness and are good to freeze for later addition to a smoothie.  Or make doggie ice cream  using bananas, yogurt and peanut butter.

 

Thank you.