Dollar Saver Tip #26
Save: $2,000+
Tip overview:
We're all guilty of throwing out food from time to time. But what might seem like a little bit here and there is actually adding up to more than $2000 worth of wasted food each year.
Alison here, one of Finder's money experts. According to a recent study by climate action group Wrap, food waste is now costing Australian households $2170-$2,700 per year.
Finder data shows the cost of groceries to be the main source of stress for Australians at the moment.
Despite this, 1 in 3 households are still throwing away at least 1 shopping bag of food waste each week, according to Wrap. The foods we are most commonly throwing away are vegetables, fruit, leafy greens and baked goods.
Unfortunately, our food waste is not only hurting our wallets but also hurting our planet.
Did you know?
Research by Rabobank found we're cutting down 6 soccer fields worth of forest every single minute to grow the amount of food that is wasted by Australian households.
So, cutting down your food waste will not only save you lots of money (potentially thousands of dollars a year!) but will also help the environment. Here are some tips to reduce your food waste:
- Create a specific meal plan for the week
- Always use a shopping list
- Get creative with your leftovers and turn them into new meals
- Use excess veggies for stock, soups and slow cooked meals
- Freeze leftovers if you're not planning to eat them right away
- Cook smaller portions