How to reduce food waste: Expert debunks difference between 'use by' and 'best before' dates 🥗
Experts reveal searches for ‘reduce food waste’ have been up by 45% in the last week…
In 2022, it was reported that over 1.3 billion tonnes of food were wasted worldwide, with the United Kingdom specifically, generating over 9.5 million. With the 6th to 12th March marking Food Waste Action Week in the UK, experts at InSinkErator have set out to debunk the difference between ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ dates, in the hope of reducing future food waste.
Expert, Jamie Griffin, from InSinkErator comments: “With 70% of food waste in the UK coming from households, education surrounding minimising food waste is crucial especially in the lead up to Food Waste Action Week. Understanding the difference between ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ food labels is a positive step in the right direction to minimising food waste. This way, you can be clear around what in your fridge/cupboard is safe for consumption..”
Best Before vs. Use By dates - what’s the difference?
When shopping, you need to be paying attention to whether it says ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ on items you are putting in your basket. When it comes to the difference between the two it is important to remember that the use-by date is a deadline, whereas a best before is a guideline that is based on the food’s quality rather than safety. With regards to sell-by dates - this is the maximum date a store can sell the product for.
When it comes to products like bread, a best-before date is a mere indication as to how long it will remain fresh - however if stored in the correct conditions, there is no need to stick to the best-before guideline so rigidly. But with regards to fresh meat, fruit, vegetables, and dairy products - they are renowned for their shorter lifespans and guidelines should therefore be followed.
Here are InSinkErator’s top tips to reduce waste at home.
How to reduce food waste
Date rotate your fridge regularly
Changing the ways you are storing food in your fridge by organising it via date order can be extremely beneficial. Ordering your food by placing the shortest dates at the front and the longer dates at the back can help you to prioritise the produce that needs to be used the soonest as well as allowing you to plan out meals for the week to prevent items from going to waste.
Reducing purchase of single-use food items
When it comes to food shopping, think before you buy. Only purchase the amount of food produce you will be needing and resist buying items you know you will only use a small amount of whilst the rest will inevitably be wasted. Opting for more versatile alternatives which can be used for multiple meals will reduce food waste and free up space in your fridge for items you know you will use.
Opting for frozen alternatives
In terms of opting for frozen food rather than fresh, it most definitely lasts longer and is more affordable. In fact, supplementing fresh produce with frozen goods could save you up to 33% on essentials including poultry, and if stored correctly most frozen foods should last for around 3-6 months.
Frozen foods also have great nutritional value. Studies have shown that the nutritional value of many frozen products is much greater than fresh options. For example, it has been found that the amounts of vitamins A and C in frozen food are much higher than in fresh.
Meal prepping
Meal prepping can indeed reduce the amount of food waste you may have by the end of the week. By encouraging you to use all the food you have before its sell-by date and then storing the prepared meals in the freezer, meal prepping can not only save money and food but also time.
Compost or InSinkErate it
A proportion of food waste is inevitable from food preparation and leftovers and where composting isn’t possible, InSinkErating your food waste by using an InSinkErator food waste disposer is the ideal alternative. An InSinkErator allows for food waste to be dealt with instantly, and hygienically, with the further benefits of saving space and improving cleanliness in the kitchen.
About InSinkErator
InSinkErator UK, is the UK and world’s largest manufacturer of food waste disposers and the clear global market leader. In 2007 InSinkErator launched a brand new product, the Steaming Hot Water Tap, which delivers 99 degree centigrade, filtered, hot water on demand.
