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Before shopping
1. Make a shopping list
This will help you focus your time on what you really need to buy, instead of mindlessly wandering around the isles and grabbing things you don't actually need.
2. Check your pantry - do you have it already?
Knowing what you already have will help prevent unnecessary double-ups and reduce the chance of food items expiring before you can use them. It’ll save you money too!
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Where to go
3. Local farmers markets
Instead of online shopping and large supermarkets, go local. There are lower transportation costs associated with farmers markets, meaning less greenhouse gas emissions. Also, fresher foods have higher nutrition, compared to foods that have been shipped over long distances.
4. Refill stores
For bulk foods such as rice, flour and nuts, go to refill stores and use your own containers and jars instead of plastic packaging. Some refill stores include The Source, Refill Nation, Bin Inn and Goodfor. Find more here.
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While shopping
5. Buy organic foods
Organic means that no synthetic (human-made) pesticides and chemicals have been used to grow the food, which is better for the environment. You might already know some of the organic and/or sustainability-based brands like Ceres Organic, Macro Organic, Huckleberry and Otis Oat Milk.
6. Buy whole foods
Choosing whole foods (food in its original form) over processed food requires less manufacturing, which reduces carbon footprint. It can be as easy as opting for whole apples rather than store-bought apple juice.
7. Choose the not-so-visually-appealing fruits and vegetables
These are the ones more likely to be left over and thrown out!
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At home
8. Cook at home
When cooking at home, you have more control over portion sizes. This can prevent wastage (even after storing it in the fridge).
Use up everything you have, like carrot skins and broccoli stems, and be aware of what’s going to expire soon.
9. Include more plant-based meals
I’m sure you know by now but plant-based foods generally have a lower carbon footprint than animal products, because it skips the intermediate step of growing crops to feed livestock. Start small, like opting for chickpea curry over chicken curry.
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Eating out
10. At a restaurant
Restaurants generally serve very generous portion sizes, so you’re not alone if you can’t finish what’s on your plate. If possible, try to ask for a takeaway container to bring the leftovers home, or even better, bring your own.
Support restaurants with a sustainability initiative. For example, Everybody Eats is a pay-as-you-go restaurant that uses perfectly fine food that would have otherwise gone to waste. If you want to be fancier, The Sustainable Food Co. is a zero-waste, plant-based caterer based in Auckland. Check out more restaurants here.
11. Use Foodprint
This is a service that sells food at discounted prices! Some items listed could be made from a day or two before but are still perfectly edible.
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Leftovers
12. Store it and eat later
Try to use glass containers (helps remind you that it’s there), bowls, zip-lock bags, silicone food wrap and beeswax wrap.
Check out Love Food Hate Waste, a great website with lots of tips for effective storage and how to use leftovers in new recipes.
13. Compost
Students are busy and might not have time to compost, but ShareWaste is a community service that allows you to drop off food waste to your neighbours who can compost for you!
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At school
14. Pack your lunch
School students are busy with schoolwork, sport, music, and lots of other activities. The easiest change you can make is to simply pack your own food, instead of buying packaged food. Additionally, make small adjustments like swapping out glad-wrap for beeswax wrap.
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More tips
15. Recycle soft plastic
This is often overlooked, but your everyday chip packets and bread bags can be recycled. Drop them off at soft plastic recycling bins which you can locate here.
16. Donate or share
Sharing is caring! Some services which distribute food to people who need it include KiwiHarvest, Countdown Food Rescue and school can drives.