The food waste costing Australians billions
Analaura Luna
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If you think you pay too much for your weekly groceries, chances are you could be right! Food waste is costing Aussie families a fortune each year, but these easy tips could help you put some of that cash in your pocket, not the bin!
Christmas has come and gone for another year, and as well as admitting that we spent more than we thought over the holidays, most of us would probably have to admit to over-catering and discarding uneaten leftovers as well. And it’s easy enough to do, especially at this time of year. But the worrying part is that a recent study revealed that when it comes to food waste, Australia has a bad habit that’s costing us billions each year.
But how much effect is it having on your family finances? Let’s find out!
The first thing you need to do is grab $20 from your wallet, walk over to your bin, and throw it away. Don’t want to do it? We agree, it’s hard to throw good money away. But according to the study, that’s exactly what Aussie families are doing every week. The data – collated by an environmental lobby group from a combination of bin audits, ABS information and waste reports – reveals that Australian households are throwing away $7.8 billion worth of food annually, which breaks down to just over $1,000 per household per year, or around $20 per week.
As a nation, our food expenditure is increasing along with our wastage. In 2009-10, Australia’s total food and liquor consumer expenditure rose six per cent to approximately $125 billion. What that means is that we’re buying much more than we need – and what we aren’t getting around to using is ending up as landfill.
But, with proper planning and preparation, you can save the majority of your food from waste and decrease the amount you spend on groceries significantly: reducing an estimated 15% wastage on an average $250 weekly grocery bill can save a family almost $2,000 a year, and you can start by taking these simple steps:
Plan ahead
Before you hit the supermarket, ‘shop’ at home to prevent the unnecessary expense and waste of doubling up, plan menus designed to use ingredients you already have at home, and make the most of leftovers by turning them into new meals. Shopping lists are vital for reducing your food budget – supermarkets are designed to lure you into making impulse purchases, so make sure you stick to that list.
Shop smarter
Buying in bulk can be a great way to save, but only if you use everything you get, otherwise it’s just false economy. Team up with friends or family so you can make the most of bulk-buying power and reduce waste by splitting items between you. The best way to save is to buy only what you need and can use – and if you do find that you’ve bought things you can’t use, offer them to family, friends or neighbours rather than throwing them away. It might not save you any money, but it’ll be better than simply wasting what you’ve already paid for.
Get organised
We’ve all found unrecognisable leftovers in the back corner of the fridge or cupboard at some point. Rotate the food items in your kitchen once a week (preferably while you’re creating your menus) to make sure you use everything before it goes out of date and use those things that are hiding in the darkest corners!
Store it
Food spoils fast if it’s left out in the open, so store opened products in airtight containers to prolong their life. Many products will keep longer if refrigerated, and most things can stay good for months once you’ve popped them in the freezer. The great news is that a full fridge/freezer costs less to run than an empty one, so you could save money on your power bill too.
Experiment!
You’ll be surprised by what you can create when you think there’s ‘nothing’ in the house to make a meal out of. Commit to having one day a week where you can only use what’s already in the house – this is a great one to do the day before your weekly shop. You’ll save money by using up the remnants of last week’s shopping, and inventing new recipes can be a lot of fun.
Saving money by decreasing your food waste really can be that simple! Now, go fish that $20 out of the bin (give it a good wash!) and stick it up on the fridge. That’s to remind you that doing things a little differently can save you a small fortune, and that there are better things to do with $20 than throwing it away!
Want more? If you’re really interested in saving money, tips like these are just what you need. Click here to check out our 30 Day Challenge for even more great ideas about how you can do simple things that will save you loads!
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Tags: 30 day challenge, food from waste, food waste australia, saving money tips, money management
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