In line with these data, it is estimated that each Italian family wastes approximately € 580 worth of food each year, which goes directly from the shopping cart to the garbage: essentially, about 10% of what we buy, calculated on an average monthly expenditure of €450. According to a study by ADOC ( National Association for the Defense and Orientation of Consumers ), waste is distributed as follows:
- Overpurchasing (39%) ;
- Expired or spoiled products (24%);
- Special offers purchased in excess (21%);
- Products purchased as ‘ new’ , but not satisfactory (9%);
- Unnecessary products (7%).
Raise your hand if you’ve never thrown away food for at least one of these reasons! But do we really have to ‘resign ourselves’ to this perverse market logic, considering waste an inevitable side effect ? Of course not .
How to avoid food waste
The general advice for avoiding waste is to take five minutes before going shopping to check the pantry and refrigerator, sit down at a table, and, with pen and paper, draw up a shopping list , calculating your needs based on what you already have at home. If we’re overzealous, we can even prepare a weekly menu in advance , for which we only make targeted purchases and follow them—obviously—to the letter.
It may seem childish, but remember that going grocery shopping on an empty stomach is one of the worst traps for overspending. Hunger, the “survival instinct,” and tempting temptations often lead to filling your cart with unnecessary items and making compulsive purchases. Therefore, it’s best to go to the supermarket after lunch , or at least when your stomach isn’t so empty that it overwhelms your decision-making abilities!
But let’s take a detailed look at the categories of food that are wasted and why.
Excess purchases (39%) and excess special offers (21%)
The lion’s share of waste is caused by these uncontrolled purchases ; at the supermarket, it’s often difficult to quantify the needs of your family unit right away. This isn’t our fault, as it’s anything but a straightforward calculation. If we then add that in the typical family, both parents work, it’s likely that the only time to do the shopping is on weekends , when you need to fill your cart with the following week’s needs. And when the stores are busiest , thus making it difficult to choose and consider purchases for the necessary time.
Often, the abundance of special offers (3 for 2, 4 for 2, 1+1 free, etc.) further complicates matters: the temptation to buy large quantities of products with a view to long-term savings is certainly a common-sense choice. If, however, some of these supplies end up directly in the trash, then the savings are nullified .
While the tendency to overfill shopping carts is the main source of waste for families with children, it’s worth remembering that singles are also susceptible to falling into the same trap. In this case, the likely tendency to frequent public places and meet others can lead to frequent eating out : thus, in this case too, part of the groceries remain, aging in the refrigerator or pantry.
Among the foods that most suffer the sad fate of the garbage can are obviously fresh ones : meat, fish, cold cuts, but also vegetables, fruit, eggs, bread and soft cheeses.
Expired or spoiled products (24%)
To avoid this mistake, the essential solution is to check the expiration date on each product before purchasing. Some people don’t always remember, and some don’t do it consistently. However, it’s important to remember one obvious thing: buying products that expire as far in advance as possible means having more days to consume them and, even more obviously, reduces the likelihood of them spoiling and having to be thrown away.
Supermarket management, of course, aims to sell as many products as possible while simultaneously eliminating the amount of expired foods removed from the shelves. For this reason, those responsible for stocking (i.e., displaying products in the refrigerated cases and on the shelves in stores) are instructed to rotate the products. What does “rotation” mean? Simple: the newest products, which therefore expire later, are placed at the back of the shelves, while those with a shorter shelf life are moved to the front. In this way, based on the fact that consumers often overlook expiration dates, the products that will expire sooner are purchased .
Therefore, we should learn to examine the expiration date of each product and consider whether we will be able to consume it or not. A general rule, provided that rotations are performed correctly and regularly, is to go directly to the bottom of the shelf and “fish” the products that expire furthest. Similarly, let’s try to take advantage of the supermarkets’ “anti-waste” approach: even in our refrigerators, it’s a good idea to regularly rotate products, placing those with the shortest expiration dates at the front: this will help us remember which consumption priorities are best.
The downside is that supermarkets are recalling even products that haven’t expired yet. In many stores, dairy products and yogurt are removed from shelves and sent to the wastebasket even a week before their expiration date: an absurdity. Few prudent retailers allocate these products to those most in need, and even fewer supermarkets offer discounted expiration offers . So, if we’re certain we’ll consume a product that’s about to expire, let’s buy that one (rather than one with a longer shelf life): we’ll prevent valuable, still perfectly edible food from ending up in landfill .
Especially when it comes to fresh foods, it’s best to buy them in small quantities ; this is especially true during the warmer months, when they spoil more quickly.
Finally, it’s always a good idea to regularly check the refrigerator’s operating status : the optimal temperature should be between 0 and +4°C to ensure the best possible preservation of perishable foods. It’s also important to check the seals from time to time , clean the condenser , and defrost the refrigerator at least once a year : ice accumulating on the walls, in addition to reducing the available internal space, makes cooling much less efficient.
Products purchased as ‘novelties’ but not appreciated (9%) and unnecessary products (7%)
Advertising certainly has a significant impact on our food choices: new products on the market are often promoted and displayed at competitive prices to entice us to buy. This can lead to products ending up in our shopping cart that we don’t actually need . Or, having been bought on the wave of a compelling promotional offer, they actually turn out to be undesirable .
To avoid throwing away food (and money!) on essentially useless products, it’s a good idea to ask yourself before purchasing: ” Do I really need this ?” and decide accordingly. When it comes to promotional offers for new products on the market, it’s best to purchase them only if you’re sure they’re in line with your personal tastes ; if you have even the slightest doubt that they might not be to your liking, you can always ask word of mouth from those who have tried them, and then decide whether or not to buy them.
Fruit and vegetables
A common mistake is buying excessive quantities of fruit and vegetables , which likely won’t be consumed before the produce naturally deteriorates. It’s always best to choose plant-based products that aren’t fully ripe , to prevent them from spoiling in your refrigerator after just a few days. It’s also best to buy small quantities at a time, preferably every two or three days. Bruised fruits and vegetables tend to deteriorate more quickly, so if you plan to consume them within a few days, it’s best if they don’t have any obvious physical bruises . Finally, it’s best to choose seasonal produce, which, following its natural ripening rhythm, is less prone to deterioration. Even better are locally sourced produce : since it’s been harvested so quickly, they keep longer than those that have traveled long distances to the point of sale.
These products should be stored in the refrigerator, or in a cool, dry place, preferably away from sunlight. A common mistake is to store all types of fruit in the same compartment : some of them, in fact, tend to naturally release ethylene , a substance that has the effect of accelerating the ripening of other fruits. But what are the main producers of ethylene? Apples , pears , bananas , watermelons , melons , peaches , apricots , plums , persimmons , figs , bananas , mangoes , and tomatoes : therefore, the rest of the fruit should be stored well away from these natural ripening accelerators. Unless, of course, we want to accelerate some of the fruit while it’s still unripe!
Obviously, the more delicate vegetable varieties (bananas, apricots, peaches, etc.) should be kept above those that are more resistant to crushing (apples, oranges, melons, etc.), possibly each in a separate container .
Potatoes , garlic , shallots , and onions can also be stored outside the refrigerator, but be sure to keep them in complete darkness to prevent germination. If stored properly, these vegetables can even stay fresh for months.
Some tips to reduce food waste
Let’s keep in mind the potential of an appliance present in every home: the freezer. It is possible to freeze (with a few exceptions) practically any food : leftovers, fresh meat and fish, some types of cheese, bread, and even milk.
Some examples? A package of puff pastry can be frozen and used even a few months later; if we’ve bought too many vegetables , we can cook them in one batch and then freeze them in convenient portions; leftovers like cold cuts or fresh cheeses can be used to make an omelette or a savory pie , which we can also freeze if we don’t use it right away. And the examples are practically endless: with a little imagination , our freezer can prove to be a valuable ally in fighting food waste.
Ultimately, the desire to avoid wasting food can also help us discover new recipes : think, for example, of how many things can be made with just bread . This precious food is often wasted, but it’s good to remember that we can easily put it in the freezer, whole or sliced (which will allow us to later take out only the amount we need). Simply leave it at room temperature for an hour or two, or reheat it in the oven for a few minutes. Stale bread, moreover, shouldn’t be thrown away, as it truly has a thousand uses. It can be used to prepare breaded foods (such as cutlets or stuffed vegetables), or as an ingredient in cakes, flans, or meatballs. Not to mention the slices of stale bread that are the basic ingredient in bruschetta (topped with fresh tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, and basil) or can be used as a side dish for fish or legume soups. Even leftover meat can be reused to make ragù, meatballs, stuffed vegetables, or meat salads.
Be careful with eggs : the “use by” date, stamped on the shell, refers to the product stored at room temperature. However, if we’ve carefully refrigerated the package, the expiration date will be extended by at least a week. And before deciding whether eggs really need to be thrown away, it’s always worth cracking them open and deciding for yourself whether the contents are still safe to eat.
It’s worth shopping at supermarkets that, instead of throwing away unsold food, donate it to charities : with a little investigative spirit, you can uncover these virtuous examples. There are also many stores that, through a special counter, sell foods close to their expiration date at discounted prices , generally 50%. By purchasing these products, we avoid having them thrown away and, above all, (obviously being sure to consume them within a short time!) we can save on our groceries.
Finally, if we really have to throw away food, let’s avoid overloading the urban waste collection system: thanks to the use of a simple composter , we can transform leftovers and scraps into excellent and economical fertilizer for our plants.
Websites to consult
http://www.nonsprecare.it/
http://www.lastminutemarket.org/
