10 Ways to Reduce Food Waste Before It Even Reaches Your Bin

Food waste is one of the biggest environmental challenges we face today. Did you know that nearly 45% of food produced in South Africa goes to waste? That’s food that could have nourished families, but instead, it ends up in landfills, releasing harmful greenhouse gases.

Most people think of food waste as what gets scraped off plates or tossed from the fridge—but the real challenge is stopping waste before it even gets to that point. By making small, mindful changes, you can save money, reduce waste, and live more sustainably.

Here are 10 simple but effective ways to cut food waste before it even reaches your bin.

1. Plan Your Meals Like a Pro 📝

One of the biggest reasons food goes to waste is buying more than we need. Meal planning helps you only buy what you’ll actually eat.

✅ Plan meals for the week before grocery shopping.

✅ Check your fridge and pantry so you don’t buy duplicates.

✅ Stick to your grocery list—avoid impulse purchases!

💡 Tip: Plan meals that use similar ingredients to avoid leftovers going bad.

2. Shop Smart – Buy Less, More Often 🛒

Bulk shopping sounds great, but if you buy too much fresh produce at once, it will go bad before you use it. Instead, try shopping more frequently, buying smaller amounts.

✅ Buy only what you’ll use in the next 3-5 days.

✅ Choose loose produce instead of pre-packaged ones—you control the quantity.

✅ Don’t fall for “buy one, get one free” deals unless you can use it all!

💡 Tip: If you do buy in bulk, learn how to properly freeze or store food to extend its shelf life.

3. Store Food Properly to Make It Last Longer 🍏

Many foods go bad faster because they’re stored incorrectly. Knowing where and how to store food makes a huge difference.

✅ Fruits and vegetables – Keep in separate drawers. Some produce, like apples and bananas, release ethylene gas, which makes other fruits ripen faster.

✅ Leafy greens – Store in a sealed container with a paper towel to absorb moisture.

✅ Bread – Keep at room temperature in a cloth bag. Freeze it if you won’t finish it in time.

✅ Milk & dairy – Keep them at the back of the fridge, where it’s coldest.

💡 Tip: If you have too much produce, freeze or dehydrate it before it goes bad!

4. Follow the "First In, First Out" Rule 🔄

Food waste often happens because we forget what’s in the fridge. Use the First In, First Out (FIFO) method to make sure older food gets used first.

✅ Keep new groceries at the back and move older ones to the front.

✅ Label leftovers with the date so you know what to eat first.

✅ Use clear containers so you can see what you have at a glance.

💡 Tip: Keep an “Eat Me First” box in your fridge for food that’s close to expiring.

5. Use Every Part of Your Food 🍠

Did you know you can eat more of your food than you think? Many scraps that are thrown away can actually be used.

✅ Vegetable peels & stalks – Use for homemade broth.

✅ Citrus peels – Dry and use for zest, tea, or cleaning solutions.

✅ Beet tops, carrot greens, and radish leaves – Great in salads and pestos.

✅ Overripe fruit – Blend into smoothies or bake into muffins.

💡 Tip: If you can’t eat it, compost it!

6. Get Creative with Leftovers 🍲

Leftovers don’t have to be boring! Instead of letting them sit in the fridge until they go bad, turn them into new meals.

✅ Roast leftover veggies into a stir-fry or omelette.

✅ Blend overripe fruit into smoothies or sorbets.

✅ Use stale bread for croutons, breadcrumbs, or French toast.

💡 Tip: Set one night a week as Leftover Night—challenge yourself to make something delicious!

7. Understand Expiry Dates 🏷️

Many people throw away food just because the label says it’s past the date—but not all dates mean the food is bad!

🔹 “Best Before” – This is about quality, not safety. The food might not be at peak freshness, but it’s still safe to eat.

🔹 “Sell By” – This is for store stock rotation, not food safety.

🔹 “Use By” – This is the only date to take seriously for safety, especially for dairy and meat.

💡 Tip: Trust your eyes, nose, and taste before throwing food away.

8. Freeze Food Before It Spoils ❄️

Freezing food stops it from going bad and lets you use it later. Most foods can be frozen if stored properly.

✅ Bread, cheese, fruit, veggies, herbs, and cooked meals can all be frozen.

✅ Freeze food in portions so you only take out what you need.

✅ Label everything with the date so you don’t forget about it.

💡 Tip: Freeze fresh herbs in olive oil or water using an ice cube tray—perfect for cooking later!

9. Compost What You Can’t Eat 🌱

No matter how hard we try, some food scraps are inevitable. Instead of sending them to a landfill, compost them!

✅ Start a backyard compost bin or worm farm.

✅ Use a Bokashi bin for composting indoors.

✅ If you don’t want to compost at home, join a compost collection service like The Compost Kitchen!

💡 Tip: Composting reduces landfill waste and turns food scraps into nutrient-rich soil for growing more food!

10. Make Reducing Waste a Habit 🏡

The most important step is being mindful about waste every day. Start small, build good habits, and soon reducing food waste will be second nature.

✅ Involve your family – Get kids to help track food waste.

✅ Track your waste – Notice what you throw out the most and adjust your buying habits.

✅ Celebrate small wins – Even reducing waste by 10% makes a big impact!

💡 Tip: Share your journey with friends—waste reduction is more fun when the whole community is involved!

Reducing Food Waste is Simpler Than You Think

By making small changes—planning meals, storing food properly, composting scraps—you can cut down waste, save money, and help the environment. The best part? These steps don’t take extra effort—just a little awareness!

🌱 Want to take your impact further? Join The Compost Kitchen and turn your food waste into something meaningful!