You'd be surprised how much edible food is wasted in the home, regardless of income. This costs families 

time and money. In fact, households are the largest contributors to food waste. Read just how much here...

 

Food waste in households happens for a variety of reasons, often stemming from behaviors, habits, and societal factors. Here are some of the main causes:

 

1.  Overbuying and Stockpiling: People often purchase more food than they can consume, either because of special offers, bulk buying, or simply not planning meals properly. This leads to food expiring before it's used.

 

2.  Poor Meal Planning: Without a clear plan for meals, people may end up buying ingredients they don’t need, which leads to spoilage or unused leftovers.

 

3.  Confusion Over Expiration Dates: Labels like "sell by," "use by," and "best before" can be confusing. Many people throw away food when these dates pass, even though the food may still be perfectly safe to eat.

 

4.  Improper Storage: Not storing food correctly—such as keeping fruits and vegetables in the wrong places—can cause them to spoil faster. Many household items might also be thrown out because they weren't stored in optimal conditions.

 

5.  Portion Sizes: Cooking or serving too much food can result in leftovers that aren’t eaten in time. People may also throw away uneaten portions instead of saving them for later.

 

6.  Cultural Attitudes Towards Freshness: There's often a tendency to only consume food while it's "fresh," and any signs of aging—like slight wilting in vegetables or bread getting a little stale—can lead to waste, even though these items can still be used creatively.

 

7.  Lack of Awareness: Many people aren't fully aware of how much food they waste or don’t realize the impact it has. Some may also not know ways to repurpose leftovers or preserve food for longer periods.

 

8.  Changes in Taste or Preference: Sometimes, people buy food with good intentions but later lose interest in it, or their tastes change, leading to food being thrown out.

 

Reducing food waste requires more thoughtful purchasing, better meal planning, and a shift in mindset toward using food before it spoils. Here's a list of Mobile Apps that you can use to help reduce your food waste.