How to reduce and avoid food waste at home

June 10, 2025 - By admin

Table Of Contents

1. Plan your meals
2. How to store food?
3. Understand the difference between ‘use before’ and ‘best by’ dates
4. What you have is what you need
5. Serve less
6. Know your molds
7. Share the extra food with others
8. Reuse waste wherever possible

In the EU, around 88 million tonnes (or a little more than half) of food are wasted every year. More than half come from households 6. But we can take action to reduce food waste, save money and avoid resource and food waste by changing how we shop, prepare and plan meals.

Plan your meals
How to store food?
Understanding ‘use before’ and ‘best by’ dates
What you have is what you need.
Serve less
Know your molds
Share the extra food with others.
Reuse waste wherever possible.

1. Plan your meals

Food is only a good deal if you can use it in time. Remember that schedules are often unpredictable and busy. ‘Buy-one-get-one-free’ and other bulk deals lead to buying more than we need, shifting the waste from the store to our homes. It’s best to avoid buying more food than you need.

You can save money by following these simple tips:

Plan your meals for the coming week.
Take a picture of the food in your fridge and cabinets before you go shopping.
Shop for food after your meal, not before.
Make a list of the items you need, and note down the quantities.
Consider the possibility of eating out.
Give imperfect fruits and vegetables a try; they’re perfectly edible and nutritious. 5

2. How to store food?

Apply the principle of first-in, first-out to your food in the fridge or cupboards. The freshest groceries are placed behind the products that are nearing their expiration dates, which become more visible.

To avoid drips, keep the raw fish and meat sealed on the bottom shelf. Separate a drawer for fruits and vegetables.

Are you unsure whether a certain food item should be stored inside or outside the refrigerator? Our list will help you avoid confusion about common food storage.

Use a smart fridge, an app, or a template online to keep track of your food storage.

3. Understand the difference between ‘use before’ and ‘best by’ dates

The date ‘use before‘ on the packaging of food indicates when it’s safe to consume that product. Use-by dates are usually located on perishable food such as chilled meats, dairy products, and pre-made meals. To avoid food waste, these items should only be bought when and in the quantity needed. Stocking up is not a good idea.

Dates such as ‘Best Before‘ are more flexible than dates such as ‘Use by’. Foods such as lentils, dried beans, and pasta can be eaten after this date even though their quality has decreased (for instance, due to changes in colour, flavour, or texture). These labels should allow us to determine the quality of food by using our senses.

4. What you have is what you need

Use up food that is nearing its expiration date.
Combine any vegetables left into a ‘clean-out-the-fridge’ pot of pasta, soup, omelette, or stir-fry. This way, we can enjoy a delicious new recipe without wasting good food.
Find recipes that use few ingredients to get creative.
Food should be frozen before the expiration date. Smoothies can be enhanced by adding frozen fruits!

5. Serve less

Here are some simple ways to help:

Serving small portions is better than throwing away the excess food.
Serve food on smaller plates.
Use inexpensive kitchen tools such as measuring cups or scoops to measure portions.
Take more time to enjoy your meal, eat away from the screen and be mindful.
You can eat leftovers for lunch the next day. Don’t have enough leftovers to make a full meal? Add some bread or salad to the mix, and you have a delicious meal!
For later, freeze. To get the best results, use frozen leftovers within three months. (Learn more about how to handle these items safely here.)
Date-label leftovers
When dining out, ask for a doggy bag. It is fine to take leftovers. There should be no shame in this. Bring a container to reduce waste.
Share delicious leftover recipes with your friends and family. Host a meal using leftover food. Or, start a contest to reduce food waste in your community.

6. Know your molds

It depends on the type of mould we use to save food. These general rules will help us know what to do.

Hard Foods are safe to eat once the mouldy area is removed. These include hard cheeses, hard-cured meats such as ham and salami, and firm fruits (such as cabbage, bell peppers, and root vegetables).

Soft food must be thrown away once it starts to mould. Soft foods, such as cooked leftovers (including soft cheeses), yoghurts, other dairy products (such as cucumbers, tomatoes, and berries), bread, and jams are all examples.

7. Share the extra food with others

There are several ways to share food that are safe, but you won’t use it yourself.

You can ask around to see if your friends or colleagues would be interested in what we don’t.
Find out if you can donate food to local food banks that will then distribute it to those in need.
It’s a great way to make new friends.

8. Reuse waste wherever possible

Repurpose food scraps to avoid dumping them in the compost. Broccoli stems and leaves can easily be chopped, cauliflower leaves baked, potatoes baked in the oven with their skins, herbs frozen into cubes or roasted celery leaves used as a seasoning, and many other food scraps can become homemade stock.

Keep a food-waste diary and write down innovative ways to reduce food waste. You can also find templates or apps online.
Take advantage of food that would otherwise go to waste in restaurants and supermarkets. Many inspiring initiatives are growing to help share, buy or exchange food that would otherwise be wasted. Scroll down to see a complete list of European initiatives.

Composting can be used for what cannot be saved. It is a natural process in which microorganisms degrade food waste into a dark, earthy material rich in nutrients that help promote healthy soil. While composting at home will not reduce food waste, it can help reduce environmental impact as the waste is repurposed into compost, which helps nourish soil.

Composting in communities and using separate bins for food waste are positive steps. Check with your local government to find out what type of food waste collection services are available.
We can also feed our garden with compost! Compost can be a cheaper, organic alternative to fertiliser. However, it is best only to use plant-based food (as meats and animal products may cause pests and bad smells).

References