On Wednesday 1 February, food prices in Norway made another jump. When food becomes more expensive, it may be a good idea to make sure that you get the most out of the food you have bought. We have collected some of news readers’ best tips on how you can reduce food waste at home. Planning, planning, planning Throwing away food is throwing away money, writes Odd Magne. Don’t let the spontaneous purchases run wild – plan your shopping trip, and don’t buy more items than you can use up. Many of us go to the grocery store daily, it is not necessary. Try to shop for food only once a week. That way, you can also “force” yourself to use up the goods that are hiding at the back of the cupboard and at the bottom of the freezer before the next shopping trip. Do you often spend time at the store thinking about what to buy? It may be a good idea to have already decided before entering. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB Buy vegetables in bulk Vegetables often come in packages that are too large for many, and perhaps especially single ones, to be used up before they go bad. Else advises, among other things, to shop in shops that sell vegetables in bulk, so that you can decide for yourself how much you need. There is also often a lower price per kilo for these vegetables. Freeze it down The price per kilo of raw materials is often lower when you buy in larger quantities. If you have space in the freezer, it might be an idea to buy large packs of, for example, meat and cheese, divide it into smaller portions and freeze it, points out Ida. In the same way, you can make large portions of pasta sauce and casseroles and freeze portions of this for later. Then you can use up the raw materials quickly, without anything going to waste. Vegetables are also available in bulk in many places. It can be a good idea to explore grocery stores you haven’t been to before to look for good deals and other types of items. Photo: Vidar Ruud / NTB Store food correctly Many of us find that food is left in the fridge for too long until it becomes crusty or in other ways loses consistency and appears unappetizing. Separate boxes for cold meats and cheese, for example, can help keep food fresh. Vegetables can be advantageously stored in paper bags, such as those that come with bread, suggests Linea. Learn to pickle food Leftovers from various fruits and vegetables such as onions can be pickled instead of going in the bin, writes Bjørg. Radishes, peppers, carrots and much more can also be pickled. It requires very little effort, and turns into a delicious snack or garnish that brightens up a slice of bread. Here you can read more about how to become an expert in pickling! Pickled and fermented food is in vogue, and can easily be made with leftover fruit and vegetables at home. Photo: Lars Erik Skrefsrud / news Keep an eye on the tossing If you want to minimize food waste, you can keep track of how much you actually throw away. Marius writes that he weighs the food that is thrown away, and in that way gets a ratio of how much goes into the food waste. Then you can challenge yourself to achieve a better result in the next week or month. Be open-minded at the discount counter Norwegians buy more disposable food than ever. It is important to be open to trying new things when you go through the reduced-price food, Malin writes. You can make it a fun challenge to buy something you wouldn’t normally have bought, that way you also broaden your horizons, and you can learn to make a new dish.
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The best tips for reducing food waste at home – news Troms and Finnmark
