Gustarium

14 October 2021

3 anti-waste tips for saving the planet without breaking the bank

There are so many gestures we can make to  save the planet.  Reducing food waste is one of them! According to a new report from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released this year, 931 million tonnes of food available to consumers was wasted in 2019 all over the world. According to the report, households are the biggest source of food waste. They alone represent 61% of the losses!

Let’s stay optimistic …

The good news is that the majority of Canadians are motivated to act and want to change their eating habits for more responsible consumption. According to a survey conducted by Love Food, Hate Waste Canada in 2020 of 1,200 Canadians, 94% say they are ready to reduce food waste in their homes. But how do you save those bananas that have been lying around on the counter for days or those vegetables that are almost overly ripe?

3 strategies for more conscious consumption 

1- Plan your meals 

Are you the type of person who does their groceries on the fly? If so, making your grocery list based on the missing ingredients in your fridge and pantry to limit unnecessary purchases is a good start to reducing waste. And if you want to become an organizational whiz you can also plan the meals for the week ahead. All you need to do is select the week’s recipes before you go shopping. This step will not only allow you to limit food waste, but also save money.

2- The fridge, your most trusted allie

Storing your food requires a cool space! When it comes to fruits, vegetables, leftovers, and dairy products, it is important to put each ingredient in the right compartment in order to optimize conservation and prevent it from ending up in the trash.

As the Love Food, Hate Waste Canada  illustration shows, saving your food in the fridge  is quite an art!

Source: Love Food, Hate Waste Canada

You can even put pre-cooked meals in the freezer to take them out on your busier days.

3-  Try new recipes

Limiting food waste isn’t just about meal planning. You can also have fun trying out new recipes with overripe fruits and vegetables. Banana bread, carrot cakes or even zucchini bread, there are lots of creative and delicious recipes that will allow you to enjoy your surplus of fruits and vegetables.

So? Is zero waste feeling complicated? As you can see, it’s all about organization and creativity!

And besides, if our Gusta sausages end up in your fridge, you won’t have to worry about them going bad. You’ll probably devour them all at once (impossible to resist our nutritional, flavourful products). However, we would like to remind you that once the packaging is opened and placed in an airtight container, their shelf life can be up to 10 days. If you are looking for tasty recipe ideas based on our delicious sausages, visit the Recipes+ section of our website