Research by the New South Wales government shows the top reasons households let food go to waste are:

TOO much food was cooked and becomes leftovers.

LEFTOVERS are forgotten and thrown away.

WE BUY too much and don’t stick to a shopping list.

WE DON’T plan our meals as much as we could.

Nutritionist Jane Richards from Green Eatz suggested switching to a less-meat, less-dairy diet to reduce carbon emissions.

“If you don’t feel able to give up meat entirely, making greener choices can still make a difference,”  Ms Richards said.

There are a few suggestions to manage our food and prevent wastage:

LOOK for ‘use-by dates’ while buying groceries and planning meals.

VISIT your local farmers’ market for cheap and fresh buys.

STORE your leftovers and warm it up at workplaces the next day, or find creative ways to cook them.

GROW your own food – community gardens are a great place to grow a variety of food as well as create a sense of sharing in your community.

BUY in-season to get better quality and cost less because of shorter storage period.

And the good thing is, these simple ways to prevent food waste also result in a smaller spend on your weekly groceries.

For more information visit http://www.1millionwomen.com.au/