Lay the food waste to waste

Close up cropped image of cutting board and couple cutting vegetables in the kitchen together, preparing food meal at home. Vegetarian healthy food

Food waste is a huge problem, both from the customer and the environmental perspective. Some calculations are actually quite terrifying, stating that one third of all food produced globally is wasted. Read that again. One. Third. Wasting edible food doesn’t just waste money (maybe even one third of your income), it also puts extra strain on natural resources that are used for food production and contribute to climate change, since discarded food is sent to landfills where it produces greenhouse gas.

Reducing food waste with the 2 Fs

If we want to be part of the solution, there is so much we can do to reduce, reuse and recycle food waste. From not buying more than we need to preserving, saving seeds, composting, and much more. Each of these food waste solutions deserves its own article (or better yet, a booklet), but today, we’re going to focus just on the powerful F & F combo – the fridge and the freezer can play a significant role in preventing your food waste. Read how you can reduce waste by using them.

Fridge

1. Keep it organized

Believe it or not, fridge organization matters when it comes to reducing food waste, mainly because certain areas of the fridge are better suited for certain food groups.

  • The top shelf is usually the warmest part of the fridge. There, we recommend you store foods like sauces, cheese and yoghurts.
  • Below the top shelf, keep leftovers and cooked meats stored in sealed containers. This shelf is also best for milk. Although most people keep their milk in the door rack of the refrigerator, this is not the best location for it, since the air gets slightly warmer there every time you open the door.
  • Keep the foods that don’t spoil easily in the door, since this is usually the warmest part of the fridge. It is a good place to keep eggs, fruit juices and condiments.
  • Keep the foods that spoil easily, like meat and fish, on lower and colder shelves.
  • And finally, keep your fruits and veggies in the bottom drawers. They will keep them fresher and crispier.

These easy organization skills, paired with advanced technology can practically lay the food waste to waste. Gorenje’s freestanding fridge freezer NRK612PS4 comes with the IonAir and the MultiFlow 360° function that create ideal microclimate on every shelf and keep the food fresh for longer.

2. Follow the FIFO rule

FIFO stands for “first in – first out”. Always put newly bought items at the front of your fridge and move old ones to the back. Because putting new foods in the front increases the chances that older foods will be overlooked and end up as waste. It is also helpful to label foods with dates of purchase.

3. Store foods in clear containers

When you see what’s in the containers, you are less likely to overlook something tasty before it spoils. Use containers of the same size to avoid wasted space and also keep in mind that square and rectangular containers are better than round ones, as they stack better.

Freezer

1. Prevent freezer burns

Freezer burns occur when frozen foods lose moisture and end up drier, tougher or discoloured. Besides changing their texture, flavour, and colour, many foods with freezer burns are also unsafe to eat which, you guessed it, again leads to food waste. To prevent freezer burns, you should package food properly. Wrap meat or seafood in paper or plastic bags first, then in foil and in a freezer bag in order to remove as much air as possible. Pack fruits and veggies in containers.

2. Control frozen food portions

Preparation for freezing is everything. Keep your food portions realistic. If you are a family of four, don’t freeze stew or lasagne that serves eight people. Once defrosted, foods can’t normally be frozen again, so rather go for smaller portions to avoid the chance of wasting food.

3. Cook and freeze in batches

By having batch cooked and frozen food in your freezer, you will less likely eat impulsively (and probably waste even more food) and will be encouraged to first eat what you already have at home. And with the Gorenje’s chest freezer FHE152IW, you can be sure that the batched food will also preserve all its minerals and quality. It features the FastFreeze function that is ideal for freezing large amounts of food. The FastFreeze first freezes the food at about -24 °C, then the function automatically switches off.

4. Get creative

Your bananas are getting brown and you are in no mood to make banana bread. Slice them up and freeze them and use them for a smoothie when you feel like it. Your veggies are starting to wilt and you don’t feel like putting them into a salad. No worries. Freeze them and use them in the future to add a boost of flavour to soups or stews. Combine excess of herbs with olive oil and chopped garlic, put into ice cube trays and use for enhancing the tastes of all sorts of dishes.

With just a little planning and with having quality 2 Fs – fridge and freezer – every household can make a big difference in preventing food and money waste. In you also add changes to the way you shop, cook and consume food into the equation, you will create even bigger positive changes to help your wallet and Mother Nature.

Need freshness? No problem

Gorenje IonGeneration fridge freezers are designed for maximum freshness. Their IonAir with MultiFlow 360˚ technology continuously refreshes the air to simulate the natural microclimate and provide perfect storage conditions. With smart, user-friendly functions they seamlessly adapt to your lifestyle. No matter how often you open the fridge door, AdaptTech maintains the optimal temperature and keeps your food in perfect shape, while the NoFrost Plus cooling system prevents the accumulation of frost and eliminates defrosting. Now also available with the integrated HiddenHandle.Read more
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