You're not alone! One in three Greater Vancouver residents over the age of 15 is single, and single cooks face unique challenges: staying motivated to cook healthy meals for one; using up products sold in large quantities before their "bestbefore" date; finding recipes that actually accommodate one person; and eating the same meal several times in a row!
Food waste, especially perishables that are difficult to buy in smaller quantities, can be a real problem for single cooks.
Fortunately, there are plenty of great ideas to help you reduce food waste. And that's good news, because ultimately, less food rotting in the landfill creates less methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide when it comes to heating up our planet.
Here are five easy tips to help you eat well and reduce waste.
1. Plan meals in advance. Take into account meals that may not be eaten at home. Create a shopping list from the plan and use the list to purchase foods from the store.
2. Plan to cross-utilize ingredients. For example: if you're buying a head of romaine lettuce, plan more than one meal that will use this ingredient. Try Asian lettuce wraps one day and a green salad the next to make sure the whole head is used.
3. Make sure you have proper food storage containers of different sizes so that leftovers and bulk items can be properly stored in the freezer or fridge.
4. When you create a larger dish, immediately portion single-use amounts into sealable containers; label and freeze. This will help lock in freshness and you'll have ready-made meals available as needed.
5. When you buy raw meat, poultry or fish, portion into single-use amounts, place in sealable freezer bags or containers, and label with the date. Store in the freezer until ready to use. If you purchase ground meat to make burger patties or meatballs, make a batch and freeze the ones you are not eating immediately.
For more easy tips on how to reduce and recycle your food waste go to reduce. northshorerecycling.ca.
