Experts have warned of the dangers of food waste and its impact on the environment, as rotting food is a source of methane gas (one of the gases causing global warming).
In this regard, a team of scientists in Japan revealed 4 tips to reduce food waste, which are:
1. Arrange food by expiration date in the refrigerator.
Kohei Watanabe and Tomoko Okayama, waste management scientists at Teikyo University, Tokyo, suggest placing items and food closest to expiration on the top shelf of the refrigerator.
So, when we open the fridge, we should automatically pick something from the top, to eat the food closest to its expiration date.
Meanwhile, fresh items should be stored at the bottom, although this system requires spending more time constantly moving items to the top, as they approach their expiration date.
2. Transparent packaging
Scientists recommend storing all the contents of the refrigerator in transparent containers, because this always reminds us of what to eat every time we open the refrigerator door.
“Often, the reason food spoils and gets wasted is because it is forgotten in the refrigerator, only to be found spoiled later,” Watanabe said.
Clear packaging also helps you quickly identify what to move to the top shelf, taking into account food items that don't spoil very quickly.
3. Apology and remorse
There is a Japanese word for feeling remorse when it comes to wasting resources and food: “Mottainai.”
Based on this concept, scientists suggest apologizing for our food just before we throw it away. By pretending that our food has feelings, we may be less inclined to waste it.
4. Colorful food sorting stickers
Color labels can help prioritize which foods in the fridge we should turn our attention to first.
For example, red labels are used to indicate food that needs to be eaten quickly, while green labels are for foods with a longer shelf life.
Scientists have pointed to other factors that lead to food waste, including poor meal planning and the tendency to cook new meals every day, rather than eating leftovers, in addition to buying food we do not actually need.