July and August are usually referred to as rotting months, which means that the food we buy quickly goes bad and is thrown away. According to the Swedish Food Agency, we throw away around 15 kg of edible food per person per year. This not only means a big impact on the climate, but also on your own wallet – not least in times of inflation and rising food costs.
But there are small means we can use to create big changes and reduce food waste, explains super saver Terese Hagman.
– It has become one of my biggest interests and I am so happy that I can inspire others and show that even as an ordinary mother of three, it is possible to live reasonably climate-smartly and economically, even though there is inflation, she says in Nyhetsmorgon.
Therese’s first tip is to bring a cooler bag to the store with a few coolers in it, so as not to break the cold chain of her refrigerated goods. And to think about how to place the food at home in the refrigerator so that it lasts as long as possible.
– At the bottom, you should have what is most sensitive, because it is coldest there. In the refrigerator door, you should only have things that are less sensitive, such as ketchup and mayonnaise, she says.
Have an “eat soon shelf”
According to Terese, all food can be eaten even if it is a red moon, as long as you think about it and plan. For example, if you buy fish or meat, which is more sensitive, it is important to eat it all at once. Vegetables, on the other hand, last longer. One way to remind yourself of what should be eaten is to have an “eat soon shelf” in the refrigerator.
– If, for example, you bought minced meat that has to be eaten, you can put it there. Then you know what needs to be eaten and can plan tomorrow’s dinner based on that, she says.
Do not leave any food in front
It’s also good to remember that you don’t take out more food than you need and don’t let the food sit in front of you and go bad, explains Therese.
– Hot food should be hot and cold food should be cold. Don’t sit for half an hour at the dinner table and leave the leftovers, she says.
Another way to preserve food before it goes bad is to think outside the box. For example, freeze tomato puree in ice cubes or make meringues on chickpea soup. Or why not make waste mix – a tomato base on vegetables that go bad in the fridge.
– I slice everything up, put it in a baking dish and throw it in the oven. That way you can freeze in glass jars and take out when you need, she says.
Save SEK 8,000 in one year
Although it may feel like small change in the moment, you can save quite a few thousand over time – money you can do more fun things with.
– It’s nice to feel that you can do other things for the money. The food waste of 15 kg per person is approximately 35-40 meals. For a family of four, you throw away 140 meals, which is approximately SEK 8,000, says Therese.