As food prices rise and food banks struggle to keep up with growing demand, it’s more important than ever that we come together as a community to tackle food waste. The City of Fredericton encourages all residents to learn more about this serious and preventable problem and make changes in their lives to help solve it.
Did you know?
2.3 million tonnes of edible food is wasted every year in Canada, according to Love Food Hate Waste. For the average household, that’s 140kg, costing families up to $1,300 a year. Most of this food ends up in our landfills, wasting all the resources, time, and energy that went into producing it.
While the economic cost is staggering, the environmental cost is just as significant. All that wasted food is equivalent to 6.9 million tonnes of CO2 pumped into the atmosphere every year. That’s the same as 2.1 million cars on the road.
Tips to reduce your food waste
Plan Ahead
- Check what’s in the fridge, freezer, and cupboards and plan your meals to use up what you have.
- Use a shopping list to keep yourself focused on buying only what you need.
- Use a portion planner to make sure you don’t buy or cook too much food.
- Cook with frozen ingredients. They are just as nutritious as fresh ones, and they don’t go bad.
- Eat perishables like seafood and meat earlier in the week and save the staples like pasta, dairy, and eggs for later.
Learn more tips and tricks for planning ahead.
Keep It Fresh
- Learn how to use all the features and settings of your fridge.
- Freeze leftovers for quick meals when you need them.
- Every food is different. Learn how to properly store what you buy to keep it fresher for longer.
Learn more tips and tricks for keeping your food fresh.
Use It Up
- Soak wilted vegetables in ice water to revive them.
- Understand the difference between a ‘best before date’ and an ‘expiry date’.
- Try drying, canning, or pickling vegetables and fruit if you have too many.
- Make stock with vegetable trimmings or animal bones.
- Compost kitchen scraps.
Learn more tips and tricks for using up all the food you have.
Special Events
- Before the event, use up what’s in your fridge or freezer to make room for leftovers.
- Store all your vegetables trimmings in a ‘broth bag’ so you can make your own vegetable stock.
- When gifting food, avoid highly perishable items and pick the things you know they like.
Learn more tips and tricks for reducing waste during special events.