Here Are Easy Tips To Overcome Food Waste And Food Loss From Home

Illustration of wisely managing food waste from home to prevent "food waste" and "food loss" (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The phenomenon of food waste and food loss globally has received quite a lot of attention as a contributor to waste for the environment and has a negative impact on the ecosystem.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), food waste refers to a decrease in quality or quantity at the retail, foodservice, and consumer levels.

Similar but not the same, apart from food waste, there is also food loss which according to FAO is food that is wasted due to a decrease in quantity or quality. Each year, a third of all food production in the world has to be wasted, with households being the biggest contributor to this waste.

Similar conditions also occur in Indonesia, Indonesia even refers to The Economist Intelligence (EIU) 2017 recorded as the second-largest producer of food waste in the world.

Of course, this is unfortunate because apparently there are still many people who experience hunger in the country.

This fact is recorded in data belonging to the Global Hunger Index 2021 which shows Indonesia is ranked third out of all countries in the Southeast Asian region.

In order to welcome the National Waste Care Day (HPSN) which is commemorated on February 21, here are easy and simple tips that you can do at home to prevent "food waste" and "food loss" quoted from Antara, Sunday, February 20.

A simple first step to prevent food waste and food loss is to regularly make a meal plan or meal plan.

For example, plan a menu of foods you want to eat or cook for the next week.

Also, pay attention to the nutritional content in the food planning so that it is in accordance with the Ministry of Health's recommendation on "Fill My Plate".

You can eat whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, high-quality protein, and healthy fats, while limiting sources of refined grains, added sugars, and excess salt.

Another way is to shop for groceries to fill the needs that are lacking or have run out. That way you can reduce the risk of overeating.

After shopping, of course, you need to store food in the refrigerator or kitchen.

Storing food must be done properly, according to the type of food. Find out and learn the age and how to store various foods, such as meat, vegetables, tubers, and others.

For fresh fruit and vegetable products, you can store them in the refrigerator at a temperature below 4 degrees Celsius so that their freshness can be maintained.

Meanwhile, for raw meat, you can also use a closed container for storage so that the smell does not spread in the storage room.

Don't forget to also separate foodstuffs that emit ethylene gas from other foods, such as bananas, avocados, tomatoes, and many more.

The ways above you can do to keep food fresh longer and reduce food waste or food loss by storing food in airtight jars. Airtight jars are also perfect for storing spices or jam.

Not only paying attention to how to store food and shopping wisely, but food waste can also be reduced by turning it into fertilizer.

You can start by making compost from leftover vegetables, fruit, coffee grounds, or tea.

Besides being able to use kitchen scraps as compost for plants, you can also replant vegetables from leftovers that will be thrown away.

For example, like replanting spring onions or pakchoy, which are easy to do at home.

Food waste and food loss can also occur because of our tendency to throw away food that is not finished.

Even though there are many foods that are actually still fit for consumption the next day if we store them in the refrigerator in the right way.

In fact, there are also many foods that can be reprocessed so that they can become new dishes that are no less delicious.

For example, you can make vegetable stock from the stems or skins of vegetables that are often thrown away because they are not very popular.

The method is easy, by filtering the vegetable broth and storing it in the refrigerator so that later the broth can be used for various cooking purposes in the future.

Sharing food is one of the best ways to expand the positive impact while reducing the consumption gap in Indonesia.

You can give or distribute excess food to family, friends, relatives, or neighbors.

Besides being able to reduce food waste, in this way we can also establish solidarity and strengthen kinship relations.

By reducing the habit of wasting food, you can have a more positive impact not only on yourself but also on those closest to you and even the environment around you.

In addition, the activities to prevent food waste and food loss above also include the 3R method, namely "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" which can help you to start a sustainable lifestyle from home.