Four tips I gave in my TEDx talk that will help reduce food waste

In early 2024 I took to the stage of TEDx Surrey to share my most useful tips on how to minimize food waste at home, so let’s go through them all in more depth together!

1. Eating your leftovers

This tip is probably the easiest sustainable eating habit you can introduce! It involves eating the food you’ve already spent time and money on.

Reducing the amount of food that ends up in your garbage or compost is a win-win for both your wallet and the environment.

2. Buying ugly produce

Did you know that single bananas are the most likely to get thrown away at grocery stores because they’re not part of a beautiful bunch? We have these expectations on how our food should look when we shop but these standards can lead to more waste. 

So next time you head to the grocery store, instead of choosing the perfectly red, spherical and bruise-free apple, choose the one with a small blemish or the funny-shaped one, and grab that lonely banana while you’re at it! 

3. Rethinking date labels

We are often so quick to toss milk or yogurt that’s a couple of days past the best-before label but did you know that oftentimes refrigerated and unopened dairy can last up to 2 weeks past the best-before date?! Best-before dates do not indicate food safety and are just a manufacturer’s guarantee of freshness. They aren’t even required for shelf-stable foods like canned goods, cereals and chips.

What we should be doing instead of blindly trusting those dates is using our senses: Does this milk smell bad? Do I see any visible mould? Is this container bulging? If the answer is yes to any of these questions then don’t eat it. 

In Canada only 5 foods expire, those are things like meal replacements or baby formula because the nutritional value can no longer be guaranteed after the date.  

4. Composting as a last resort

Composting is an eco-friendly practice that prevents methane emissions and allows you to absolve any guilt you’re feeling for throwing food away, but it should be your last resort if you want to avoid wasting precious resources. The emissions that result from growing, packaging, transporting and then disposing of our food means that food waste is the 3rd largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world.

Some ways you can extend the life of your food before it ends up in the compost include: freezing and food preservation techniques such as canning, pickling or fermenting. Meal planning is another great way to make sure you only buy what you can cook and eat before it goes bad.

Minimizing food waste is a simple step we can all take starting right now and it doesn’t involve spending any more money - it just means adjusting your habits. Stopping to smell your milk before tossing it or buying the two-legged carrot instead will save you money and help the environment. I’d encourage you to watch the full TEDx talk right now and leave a comment on how you’re minimizing food waste in your home.