How Meal Prepping Can Reduce Food Waste
People often avoid meal prepping for a number of reasons, with the biggest two being the lack of time and our indecisiveness on what to cook. Sundays are supposed to be a relaxing time, so meal prepping can be a strenuous task to undertake before your average work week. However, this step can help the environment, so we say it's worth it.
When was the last time you cleaned out your fridge? We can bet that there is at least one expired item in there that just never got used. Now imagine every household having at least one expired item because they either forgot it was in there or did not eat it quickly enough. That is a lot of food waste — and that does not even begin to cover this issue's true magnitude.
According to Earth Easy, about 15% of food wasted at home includes products that expired but were never opened. Meal prepping makes shopping easier and more efficient, because you are purchasing products that you will use completely. Planning also ensures that leftovers are eaten instead of thrown away. Here's what you can do to streamline the process.
Here's how to meal prep efficiently
Meal prepping is simpler than it seems, and it saves you money at the grocery store. Here are some tips to get you started: Clean up your fridge, make a grocery list, and cook it all at once (via Medium). We suggest buying fruits and vegetables, proteins, and whole grains all at the same time to ensure you will have everything you need for complete, satisfying meals throughout the week.
By doing so, you can decide what you would like to eat throughout the week and interchange meals. Meal prep also allows for an estimation of portion sizes, which is a great way to reduce food waste. Cook all of your food items in one day, except for protein such as eggs, fish, or poultry. Prepare those the day of so they do not go bad.
If you are totally overwhelmed by meal options, there are plenty of easy recipes that will last. Feta pasta, chicken noodle soup, and zucchini casserole sound like delicious alternatives. Get ahead of your week (and food waste) with this simple solution!