5 tips to reduce food waste + Recipe

I’ve always hated waste. And every day, I try to think of a new way to reduce wasting energy, water, money, and, especially, food.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 1/3 of all the food that is produced in the world is lost or wasted. That means that 1.3 billion tons of food made for human consumption go to the landfills.

Every member of the supply chain is responsible for a share of this problem from initial agricultural production down to the final consumers, aka all of us.

But it’s easy to reduce waste in your household and here are some tips to help you start. In the end, I share with you a simple recipe for a sesame kale stems salad that is a delicious side for fish, chicken, mixed with your regular salad, in a burger, in the noodles, and whatever your imagination can reach! Enjoy!

5 Tips to reduce food waste:

1. Try to buy fresh and local. The shorter the distance a vegetable (or any food) has to travel, the fresher will be and you help develop your own community.

2. Plan your meals for the week and shop accordingly, trying to adequate the portions to the number of people and avoiding overbuying.

3. Be careful with sales! They look appealing and a great way to save money but sometimes they’re just a disaster waiting to happen. This doesn’t apply to non-perishables like cleaning supplies or hair care, for example.

4. Learn how to cook with leftovers. There are some fun videos on YouTube like this one by the Brothers Green Eats.

5. Have a small herb garden at home so you always have fresh herbs for your dishes and avoid wasting a whole bunch of basil just because you wanted some leaves.

Sesame Kale Stems Salad

Ingredients (quantities depend on how much kale you have available)

Thinly sliced kale stems

Sesame oil

Garlic salt

Chili flakes

Sesame seeds

Thinly sliced green onions

Apple cider vinegar

Get it done!

Heat up a pan over medium heat. Pour the sesame oil into the pan and let it heat for a minute. Add the kale stems and cook it stirring all the time. Season it with garlic salt and chili flakes to taste. Keep cooking it until the stems are tender enough for you. Let it cool in the fridge for a while and serve it with green onions, apple cider vinegar, and sesame seeds to taste.

Cheers!

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