Managing your stock in the kitchen or pantry is important to avoid waste and cook smarter. This week is Waste-Free Week. We would like to help you get started with some handy tips that you can easily apply. Not just in this week, but throughout the year.
Organising stock
Wasting less food; that is what we all want. Still, some people keep a few sandwiches and others discover the leftover pasta in the fridge just too late. If you store food properly, it will keep for longer. An organised kitchen or pantry therefore starts with good stock management. Use your fridge, freezer and pantry properly and follow the tips below:
1. Smart design
Make your stock clear and give products a fixed location as much as possible, then you will find it easily.
2. Use stickers or cards
By putting stickers or cards on products, you can quickly see what to put on first. This prevents food from spoiling and gives you a better overview of your stock.
3. Old for new
Put older products at the front and new products at the back. That way, you use what has been in stock the longest first and don't waste food.
4. Plan meals
By planning ahead what you will cook, you can better estimate what ingredients you will need and avoid buying too much.
5. Basic stock
It is useful to have some basic items that have a long shelf life in the house, such as pasta, rice and canned or jarred food. We also call this an iron stock. This way, you always have something in the house to make a meal out of. These products are easy to combine with fresh products that need to be used up quickly.
6. Know your stock
Keep a list of what you have in the house and tick off what you use. This way, you will always know what you need when you go shopping.
7. Pay attention to expiry dates
Keep products in their original packaging as much as possible, then you can regularly check the expiry dates of products. Use products in time to avoid waste. After the THT (Best Before) date, you can often still use the product, but it is smart to look, smell and taste it first. TGT (Use By) means the product is safe to eat until this date. After that, it should be thrown away as there is a high risk of food poisoning.
8. Using your fridge
The best temperature for your fridge is 4ºC. Bacteria have less chance and food stays good longer. Meat, fish, dairy and leftovers that you eat within 2 days should always be refrigerated, but also many types of fruit and vegetable stay good much longer if you store them in the fridge. A small proportion are better stored in a permanent place outside the fridge, such as tropical fruit, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and aubergines. More tips for preserving producekeep in the fridge.
9. Using your freezer
You can keep products you freeze for a long time, such as fresh produce, leftover food and anything you buy frozen. More tips for freezing productsstore in the freezer.
10. Smart use of leftovers
Try making new dishes with leftovers, such as soups or tasty stews. Divide leftovers into small portions and freeze them. This way, food will keep longer and you can easily use it later for a quick meal. This will help you throw away less food and save you time when cooking.
11. Read labels
The label shows how a product should be stored. Always put products you need to keep chilled in the fridge, even if they have not yet been opened.
12. Use the online Retention Guide
In the online Storage Guide you will find the storage recommendations of more than 2,000 products with handy storage tips.
13. Use other useful tools
There are handy tools to make it even easier to manage your stock to avoid wasting food.
- First on tapeFirst on tape is a handy tool to indicate the best-before date of products. Stick this special tape on packaging to indicate which products should run out first. So you can quickly see which products you need to use soon to avoid wasting.
- Fridge and freezer stickerThese stickers are specially designed to indicate the best-before date of food in the fridge and freezer. Stick these stickers on packaging to indicate the best-before date of food in the fridge and freezer. This helps to keep track of how long food is still good.
- Dining buddyThe food measure is a handy tool to control portions and serve the right amount of food. The measuring cup or spoon with clear measurements allows you to measure exactly how much food you need. This helps prevent excessive portions and wastage.
- Reminder sticker on breadStick a reminder sticker on your bread packaging to remind you to finish your bread on time before it gets old. This way, you avoid food waste and enjoy fresh bread every day.
By applying these simple tips, you will not only keep your kitchen and pantry organised, but also avoid wasting food.
For more tips, visit waardlanden.nl/tips