Imagine you go shopping and throw a third of the goods in the garbage can. Absurd? Should you think! But a third is actually exactly the amount of food that ends up in the garbage worldwide every year. This enormous food waste is a major problem of our time. And a large part of this goes back to private households. Find out here what you can do to reduce food waste.
Far too large a proportion of the world’s population has no access to food and is starving. While a third of our food is literally produced “for the bin”. Around 12 tons of food are wasted along the food supply chain in Germany alone. 173 kilograms are thrown away by every person in the EU every year. That’s shocking. We live in an abundance that has reached dangerous levels – for people, but also for the environment.
Food waste – a gigantic problem for people and the planet
Mindful handling of food offers numerous advantages for us humans and the planet. If we didn’t waste food on a massive scale, we could improve global food security, combat climate change, strengthen biodiversity and relieve waste management systems, to name just a few positive aspects. Unfortunately, far too little attention has been paid to this topic so far.
It is not that difficult to avoid food waste in your own household – there is often simply a lack of awareness of it. It would be really important in private. At around 52 percent, an enormous proportion of food waste along the food supply chain can be traced back to private households. And with that on us, because we are at the end of the supply chain. But that also means: We consumers have the greatest power to change something about this problem.
There are many tips on how to avoid food waste. This starts with a well-planned purchase, through the correct storage of fruit and vegetables, for example, to the fact that the best-before date is not an indicator for simply throwing away a product unopened. Awareness of food rations and the courage to simply reuse leftovers are also decisive for less food waste.
Foodprep instead of foodwaste: creativity and intuition in the kitchen
A well thought-out collection of recipes can help you to perfectly match dishes and ingredients so that as little as possible is left over or can be reused. Key word: food prep.
For example, if you plan your week culinary with a menu, you can pre-cook the basis of rice, potatoes or pasta in reasonable quantities and refine them with vegetables or other side dishes, toppings and fresh herbs. If something is left over, it’s time to get creative: You can often combine leftovers from the previous day wonderfully or spice them up with little tricks.
For example, have you ever tried to process leftover vegetables into a delicious spread? Fine soups can still be conjured up from the tired carrot and the no longer quite so crunchy beetroot. Greens that would otherwise end up in the compost are suitable as the basis for a delicious pesto. Leftover potatoes or pasta are great as a casserole or fried can make you full and happy. Rice, quinoa, millet & Co. are the best basis for colorful bowls. The imagination knows no limits.
Dare and let your intuition guide you. You’ll see how much fun it is to fight food waste in your own kitchen.
The best for leftovers – A universal seasoning for the leftover kitchen
Are you still missing a bit of pep with your leftover dishes? If salt and pepper are too boring for you, the herb specialist SONNENTOR has just the thing for you!
“The best for leftovers” is a spice mixture that was specially developed for the leftover kitchen. The mixture has two special features: First, it goes with every dish. Secondly, it comes from experts – namely from the social media community of the Austrian company. She created and designed the seasoning all-rounder especially for leftovers. The name also goes back to the herbal community. Edith and Johannes Gutmann, the owners of SONNENTOR, chose the final name “Das Beste für Reste” from hundreds of fan submissions.
The fans of Sonnentor agreed: For a perfect mixture of spices for leftovers, you need tomato flakes, sea salt, parsley, onion pieces, oregano, garlic and black pepper. According to fans, this combination of the finest organic spices gets the best out of the leftovers.
ZeroWaste in the kitchen – attract attention and raise awareness
With this project, SONNENTOR not only wants to revolutionize the taste of leftovers, but above all wants to raise awareness of food waste. The aim is to shape a sustainable future together – and with “The best for leftovers” everyone will succeed in avoiding food waste in their own kitchen.
Under the hashtag #missionleftoverkitchen, the organic pioneer launched a call to use up all the supplies at home and to ban the topic of food waste from the kitchen. SONNENTOR fans also regularly receive tips and inspiration for leftover dishes.
