Here’s a sad side effect of quarantine: A lot more waste has been produced due to packaging from food deliveries and leftovers that end up forgotten in our refrigerators until they’re past their expiration dates.
The damage of food waste doesn’t just stop at having to throw food out, either. Your leftovers end up in landfills, where they don’t get to naturally decompose and end up releasing greenhouse gases that cause a lot more harm to the environment.
[READ: Food for thought: This is what happens to food waste]
Now that we have to get used to limiting our time outside and relying on food or grocery deliveries more, how can we minimize our food waste?
Resurrect those leftovers
While we enjoy seeing more people turn to their kitchens during the pandemic, we can’t help but worry about the food that ends up tucked away in the refrigerator at the end of every meal. After picking up nifty cooking hacks, it’s time for you to get smart about your leftovers, too.
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Don’t throw out those scraps
Here’s a life hack for all the aspiring plant parents on a budget out there: The key to starting your own vegetable garden is probably in your kitchen. Instead of throwing out the scraps after cooking your meal for the day, you can use those to propagate herbs or fertilize your budding garden.
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Get produce from farmers
Supporting online farm-to-table initiatives and shopping at farmers’ markets does more than just help hardworking farmers get through the pandemic, it minimizes food waste by keeping fruits and vegetables from being thrown out.
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Header photo by Ella Olsson on Unsplash
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