Save money and reduce food waste, with these practical tips from Freyja Tasci, founder of Apiwraps, who’s on a mission to help us fall in love with our fresh produce and reduce unnecessary waste.
Food prices are going up, and forecasts predict further price increases across our fridge and pantry essentials.
Last week’s consumer price index showed fresh food prices, in particular, are on the rise – so it’s essential we make the most of our weekly fruit and veg buys. So how can we make sure our fresh food lasts longer and doesn’t go to waste?
Throwing away food is a drain on our wallets and the planet. The average family wastes around 18% of their purchased food. That’s almost $2,500 worth of food per person each year. Ouch.
So here are five top tips to make your fresh food go further.
Think before you shop
Try to dedicate some time to planning your meals for the week, so that you’re buying fruit and vegetables with recipes in mind. Being intentional about how you purchase your fresh food, and focusing on the seasonal fruit and vegetables which are better value, is a great way to help your supermarket dollars go further. If you use a fruit and vegetable box service, you can choose to prioritise seasonal produce, and this can also be a great way to get acquainted with lesser-known ingredients. Choko, anyone?
Prep your fruit and veggies
When you first get your fruit and vegetables home, spend some time washing them and preparing them, so that you know what you have, and can prioritise using the most time-sensitive things first. Things like soft lettuces, fresh herbs and baby spinach all need to be used fairly quickly, so make sure they’re easily accessible. It’s also an opportunity to prep food for the week – for example chopping up carrots for easy access when snacking.
Fresher for longer
Storing food properly can keep it fresher for longer. Beeswax wraps from Apiwraps are a great option for storing fresh fruit and vegetables – especially after they’ve been cut into. The beeswax wrap acts like a second skin – sealing in the goodness while still allowing it to breathe. A beeswax wrap can keep that half avocado in the fridge fresh for a whole week! Wraps and reusable containers are also a great way to store pre-chopped vegetables, or to cover a bowl of fruit salad so you can add it to your breakfast each morning.
Always add veg
Look for ways to sneak extra vegetables into anything you’re cooking. There aren’t many dishes where you can’t sneak in a little extra. Try wilting spinach or kale into fresh pasta sauces, stirring diced carrot and zucchini into risottos or adding broccoli florets to your favourite soups.
Really good recipes
Have some go-to recipes for using up what’s left in the vegetable drawer at the end of the week. Those sad looking carrots or tired mushrooms can always be given new life in something like a soup or a risotto. Stir-frys are a great way to use up vegetables, slice in celery, cut corn off the cob, or tear in spinach leaves.
And according to the National Food Waste study root veggies were one of the most wasted foods in homes. So cut up any root vegetables along with tomatoes, celery chunks and kale, drizzle with oil, season and bake. Delicious as it is, as a side, or added to some eggs for a frittata.
With a bit of planning, savvy shopping and clever food preparation, we can all make our fresh food go further.
About the author:
Freyja Tasci is the founder of Apiwraps, Australia’s original beeswax wrap company. Freyja is on a mission to help Australian families reduce food waste and single-use plastics. Over the last nine years Apiwraps has helped more than 400,000 homes get rid of cling wrap, saving more than 10 million metres of single-use plastic wrap. The reusable Beeswax Kitchen Wraps create a waterproof barrier that breathes allowing food to stay fresh and crisp without sweating and spoiling. Apiwraps can be washed and used again for over a year.
