Preventing Food Waste at Home

A lot of what we throw away was edible. Stopping waste before the bin is cheaper and greener than composting it later.

Food that is bought and never eaten wastes the water, land, and fuel used to grow, ship, and store it — and then emits methane if it rots in landfill. The cheapest waste to manage is the waste you never create.

Plan Before You Buy

• Shop from a list; eat what you have before buying more.
• Check portions — cooking too much is the top source of leftovers that get tossed.
• Understand date labels: "best before" is quality, not safety.

Store Smart

Keep herbs and greens in a little water or a damp cloth; store veg at the right temperature; keep bread sealed. A first-in, first-out shelf order means older items get used first.

Use the Leftovers

Yesterday's rice becomes fried rice; roasted veg goes into soup; stale bread becomes crumbs. A "use-me-first" box in the fridge makes the plan visible.

What's Left Over

For scraps you truly cannot eat, see our home composting guide to turn peels and trimmings into soil rather than methane.

Related Reading

Start with reduce, reuse, recycle and why sorting matters, and estimate savings with the Carbon Calculator.

Prefer Chinese? Browse the full knowledge base at 061s.com/zhishi.