Avoid food waste: Strategies for better housekeeping
Kira Zabe
October 17, 2024
Each year, approximately1.3 billion tonsof food is wasted globally. This isn’t just a waste of valuable resources like water, energy, and labor—it also means that a significant amount of money is thrown away. You might think that the hospitality industry is the main contributor to this problem, but the reality is different. Around40% of global food wastecomes from households, making them the biggest offenders. The good news? Reducing food waste at home is actually easier than you might think and can have a huge impact on both your wallet and the planet.
This highlights just how important it is to tackle food waste on a personal level, and with simple actions, each of us can make a difference!
Well planned is half as much thrown away
A good purchase needs to be well planned, regardless of whether you are a consumer shopper (which is what we are in our household, for example) or a stock shopper. The shopping list is essential. You can write it down on an old-fashioned piece of paper or digitally on your smartphone. There is now an app for almost everything. Before you go shopping, you should think about what your menu might look like for the week (for us, that's every day or every two days). Then you should check what you have left in the house. Incidentally, the shopping list always helps me to only buy what we really need, which in turn has a positive effect on my wallet.
Don't shop hungry
How often has this happened to me? I've gone shopping with a growling stomach and suddenly, for some inexplicable reason, the shopping cart was full to the brim. Since then, I've gotten into the habit of eating at least a snack before I go shopping.
Best before - not immediately expired
The best-before date simply indicates the date until which the manufacturer guarantees that their product is still edible - provided it is unopened and stored correctly. Once the best-before date has been reached, this does not mean that you have to dispose of the product immediately. Rely on your sense of taste and smell. If the food still tastes good and smells appetizing, then it is very likely that it is still edible. I know people who have even eaten yogurt that had been expired for over a year - and they survived. However, I am careful with meat and fish that is past its best-before date.
Get inventive when cooking
Personally, I can't stand it when I have to throw food away. We recently had a case at home with eggs that were a few days past their best-before date. So we spontaneously decided to make spaghetti carbonara. One egg didn't pass the “egg test” and had to be thrown away, but we were able to use the rest without any problems. So if you have food in your fridge/storage cupboard at home that has reached its best-before date, why not see what you can conjure up from it? I find that one-pot dishes are perfect for using up food that is about to expire. If it gets too much, you can simply invite friends over and eat the portions together.
Weekly planning is the key
To prevent food from being bought pointlessly and then thrown away, you should plan at least roughly what you are going to eat throughout the week. For example, Monday spaghetti, Tuesday schnitzel with chips and vegetables and so on. Planning your week can help you to go shopping in a targeted way. For example, I'm currently testing out a cooking box, which I'll blog about later. If you have the opportunity, you can also go shopping in an unpackaged store and get the exact amount of food you need. This is also good for the environment as it saves on packaging waste.
Freezing, preserving, canning
Food can of course also be preserved by freezing, preserving, canning or dehydrating it.
Correct storage
The shelf life of food naturally also depends on how it is stored. What belongs in the fridge should of course be stored in the fridge (logical, right?) and dry food should be stored in such a way that it cannot absorb moisture or is protected from pests.
Bonus tip: Use the Smantry.app
If you want to fight food waste, our Smantry.app can be a very helpful tool. With the help of our app, you can get a targeted overview of what food you still have at home. After shopping, simply scan the barcode and assign the right storage location to the food in question. As the cherry on the cake, you can also record the best-before date for the respective food in our app. Our Smantry.app also allows you to keep track of what food you still have in the house and how much of each product - so it no longer disappears into the depths of the freezer or store cupboard.
The best kitchen tools to turn leftovers into delicious dishes 🍲✨
Hand on heart: Each of us has them – those little leftovers in the fridge or pantry that somehow never get properly planned for. But it's exactly these remnants that can often be turned into the most creative and delicious dishes! All you need are a few clever kitchen tools that make the work easier and get the best out of your ingredients.
Here are our favorites:
🥣 1. The powerful blender
Smoothies, soups, dips – a good blender transforms leftover vegetables, fruit, or even bread into a new dish in seconds. Perfect when bananas are a bit brown or the vegetables no longer look crisp.
🔪 2. A sharp chef's knife
Sounds simple, but a really good knife is worth its weight in gold. It allows you to cut vegetable and meat scraps precisely and quickly. Moreover, cooking is just more fun when you have the right tools.
🍳 3. A cast iron skillet
The all-rounder in the kitchen: fried potatoes made from leftover boiled potatoes, frittatas with yesterday's vegetables, or crispy bread cubes from stale bread – everything tastes twice as good in a cast-iron skillet.
🥕 4. Vegetable Peeler & Grater
A modest tool with a big impact: grate carrot leftovers, turn zucchini into noodles, or finely shred cheese remnants. With a peeler and grater, you bring variety to your leftover cooking.
🥡 5. Storage Containers & Screw-top Jars
Without proper storage, nothing works. You can keep leftovers fresh, transport them, or even prepare them for the next meal prepping. Tip: Jars are also great for serving small amounts in style.
🌱 6. Kitchen Scale
It's practical to know exactly how much is left over, especially with leftovers. This way, you can adjust recipes and avoid waste.
🥄 7. Personal Blender
The little brother of the blender – perfect for soups or sauces right in the pot. When only a small amount needs to be processed, it's super convenient.
How Smantry additionally helps you 📲
With the Smantry App you can not only keep an eye on your supplies, but soon you'll also be able to discover recipes for your leftovers. This way, you'll immediately know which tool to take out of the cupboard to save your food and create something new.
👉 Because good tools and the right app are the perfect combo to combat food waste.
New laws on food waste in Spain
Spain has recently passed a groundbreaking law to combat food waste. This law requires all actors in the food chain, from producers to retailers, to implement specific plans to prevent food loss.
Key provisions of the law:
Obligation to donate surplus food: Supermarkets with a floor space of more than 1,300 square meters are now required to form partnerships with non-profit organizations to donate surplus food that is still fit for consumption. These donations are exempt from value-added tax.
Offer of packaging for leftover food: Restaurants and bars are required to provide their guests with free, reusable or recyclable packaging so that they can take home uneaten food. The aim is to raise consumer awareness of food waste and encourage them to take leftovers with them.
Promotion of the sale of products with approaching expiration dates: Retailers should offer products that are nearing their expiration date or have aesthetic defects at reduced prices to encourage their sale and reduce waste.
Hierarchy of priorities for dealing with surplus food: The law establishes an order for handling surplus food. Priority is given to human consumption through donations. If this is not possible, the food should be used for the production of processed products. The last options include using it as animal feed or for energy generation.
Sanctions for violations:
Companies that violate the provisions of the law can expect fines ranging from 2,000 to 500,000 euros.
Critique and Outlook:
While the law is considered an important step in the fight against food waste in Europe, there is also criticism. Some voices argue that the strict framework of sanctions could disproportionately burden companies and that the law does not sufficiently address the role of consumers, who are responsible for a significant portion of food waste.
Nevertheless, the law is seen as a significant advancement in reducing food waste and promoting a more sustainable awareness in society.
Join in and reduce food waste! 🌱📲
Spain's new law demonstrates: Sustainability starts in the pantry! With the Speisekammer App you can keep track of your groceries, plan meals efficiently, and avoid unnecessary waste.
👉 Download the app now and join the movement for less waste and more conscious consumption! 💚 Try it now!
Sharing supplies together – why the Shared Economy is now moving into the kitchen
The concept of Shared Economy has long been more than a short-term trend – it's changing our everyday lives. More and more neighborhoods, shared apartments, and community projects are discovering how practical it is to organize groceries together and manage supplies transparently.
Why sharing supplies is becoming increasingly popular
- Save on costs: Bulk purchases become cheaper when more people participate.
- Save space: Not everyone needs their own package of rice or pasta.
- Better organization: Digital tools make it easy to see what is available.
- Experiencing community: Food brings people together – as does camping together.
From the flatshare to the neighborhood
Especially in shared apartments or families with multiple households it pays off to keep a communal stock of supplies. But neighborhood projects or small communities are also recognizing the added value: shopping, storing, and using together.
How Smantry helps
This is where Smantry comes into play:
- Community Feature: Supplies can be managed collectively.
- Transparency: Everyone can see which items are available.
- Efficiency: Duplicate purchases are avoided, leftovers are used up in time.
- Flexibility: Soon it will become even easier to manage entire communities (including new features such as categories or the option to completely delete communities).
👉 The shared economy doesn't stop with cars – it moves right into your kitchen. With Smantry sharing supplies becomes easier than ever.
At last, it's here: The categorization of articles 🎉
Over the past few months, we have collected numerous feedback from you – and the request for better organization of supplies was one of the most frequent wishes. Soon, it will be possible to sort your items into individual categories, so that you can keep track of everything even more quickly.
Why categories are so practical
- 🥦 More organization in your pantry: Instead of a long list, you can structure your products into categories such as "Vegetables", "Beverages", or "Household Goods".
- ⏱️ Faster Finding: No more long scrolling – jump straight to the right category.
- 👨👩👧👦 Improved collaboration: In communities or family households, everyone can immediately see where things belong.
- 🌍 Customization: You can create your own categories that suit your needs – whether for meal prep, stockpiling, or just your everyday life.
Your wish will become reality ✨
We know how important this feature is to you. That's why our development team has implemented categorization as a high priority. It will soon be available step by step in the app – fulfilling one of the biggest wishes of our community.
We are thrilled that we can make everyday life even easier for you with this. Stay tuned – as always, we will keep you updated on when the feature will be officially released.
👉 Do you already have ideas on how you want to structure your categories? Feel free to send us your suggestions or requests – your input might directly influence the ongoing development.