How Manitobans can limit food waste in their home

Reducing Food Waste March 6 to 12 is worldwide Food Waste Action Week and Getty Stewart shares how people can reduce waste

It's an all too familiar situation for many people around the world - food going bad before it can be eaten and it gets thrown out.

According to National Zero Food Waste Council, 63 per cent of food Canadians threw away in 2022 could have still been eaten.

The average household also throws away 140 kilograms of wasted food per year, which equals more than $1,300.

Food Waste Action Week, which runs until March 12, is designed to help teach people to waste less by planning ahead.

Home economist Getty Stewart said one thing people need to remember is a best before date does not mean the product has gone bad if you go past it.

"It's an indicator of quality, so it's a promise the manufacturer has made about best colour, texture and flavour. Food is safe to eat past the best before date," said Stewart.

She said people need to use their senses – sight, smell and touch – when trying to determine if food has actually gone bad.

Stewart said one of the main food items that Canadians are tossing in the garbage is produce.

"So often, 45 per cent of what we are tossing is fruit and veggies, then our leftovers," said Stewart. "Unfortunately, we are not using our leftovers effectively. So that's one strategy - think about how you can repurpose those leftovers as ingredients or of course, you can just reheat them as well."

Another tip Stewart suggests is freezing food. She said so many foods – from milk to lemons – can be stored in the freezer past their due dates and they are still good to use once they have been pulled out.