Wasted food is wasted money

The typical Finn wastes an average of over 20 kilograms of edible food every year. In addition to food, we also waste nitrogen and phosphorus. This food waste, on an annual basis, causes an unnecessary food bill of 500 million euros, or 500 euros per family. Food waste is a source of nutrient emission; that is why it is important that you don’t purchase too much food, and that the food purchased is actually eaten and not thrown away.

Solution is easy: just take what you eat

A rough estimate is that the amount of food wasted along the total food chain is approximately 500 million kilograms. The financial value of this is approximately one billion euros. Households are the most significant source of direct food waste. In addition, we also indirectly create waste in other parts of the food chain. Every year approximately 80 kilograms of edible food is wasted per Finn.

Unnecessary work, unnecessary emissions

Food waste has an effect on eutrophication. Blue-green algae blooms are mainly caused by the nutrient emissions of agricultural food production. Any wasted food has been produced in vain. In addition, the nutrient emissions generated by its production unnecessarily cause the eutrophication of waterways. When the food eventually ends up as waste, any resources used in its production are also wasted.

Plan your grocery needs in advance

Plan your grocery purchases and use all of your purchased ingredients. Making a shopping list will help you to avoid impulse purchases and makes it possible to buy food for several days at once. Before going to the grocery store, check your fridge and cupboards first. Keep an adequate stock of frequently used and non-perishable food. When you ran out of a product, immediately mark it down on your shopping list.

Making a menu helps you to plan varied, well-balanced and low-priced meals for every day of the week, as well as helping you to avoid food waste.

It is worthwhile to use up all the food that you purchase and cook. Take a look at the eco chef’s leftover tips below.