Good food habits

Simple, flexible, and realistic meal planning helps ensure that all the food you buy gets used. Plan your weekly meals in advance, consider how many family members will be home when purchasing ingredients, and leave room for meals made from leftovers. Use a shopping list — keep it on your fridge and update it as needed.

Reduce the stress of daily cooking by preparing some meals in advance over the weekend when you have more time. Store them in the freezer and simply reheat when needed. For parties or gatherings, use a portion calculator to estimate the right amount of food and avoid waste.

Before heading to the store or adding items to your online cart, take a moment to think about what you actually need and update your shopping list accordingly. Check what’s already in your fridge and cupboards, and remember to tidy up your fridge shelves to make space for new purchases. Also, consider if any family members will be away for an extended period or eating less at home.

Consider buying frozen food. It is often cheaper than buying fresh food, and all the essential nutrients remain intact. It’s easy to store and can be quickly prepared when needed.

If you forgot to make a shopping list, take a quick photo of your fridge to remind you what food you already have at home.

Adopt a few helpful habits to take the stress out of shopping, keep it simple and help you stick to your shopping list.

Always take your shopping list with you or snap a photo on your phone to stay focused on what you really need. Set a budget before heading to the store and make sure to stick to it. Use hand-held scanners to track your total, so you can stay on track and quickly pack your items, saving time. Don’t forget to mark off items from your list as you go!

Be sensible with special offers – Will you actually be able to consume the food? Does it fit into your meal plan and your budget? To avoid impulse buys, keep your kids engaged by having them help find the items you need and pack the bags.

Give store’s private label foods a try — they’re often just as good as the branded food, but at a lower price. Who knows, you might discover a new favourite while saving money at the same time.

Storing food properly after shopping keeps it fresh longer, giving you more time to use it in your delicious meals. Find out where to store fruits, vegetables, meats, and other items in your fridge. Make sure your fridge temperature is set below 5 °C to keep food fresh.

Keep in mind, fruits ripen faster at room temperature, so it’s a good idea to store fruits in the fridge — except for bananas and uncut pineapples.

Keep sliced bread in the freezer and toast it before eating. Bread and buns are some of the most common food items that end up in the bin. Remember, your freezer is your friend! For instance, when you return from a big shopping trip, freeze items that you won’t need in the next few days.

Keep daily track of your most perishable food to remind yourself what needs to be consumed first. Place these items at the front of the fridge or create a separate "eat me first fridge shelf”. This makes them easier to see and harder to forget. Plane one day a week to use up food nearing expiration or leftovers for meal preparation.

Again – the freezer is your friend. If you can’t use up fresh food or leftovers before they spoil, freeze them. Also, make it a habit to regularly check your freezer, fridge, and food cabinets—set specific days for these checks each week.

Learn the difference between "best before" and "use by" dates. "Best before" indicates when the food is at its best quality, while "use by" shows the date until which the food is safe to eat.

For parties and gatherings, serve frozen food—just bake or microwave the necessary portions. This way, you won’t have to throw away leftovers.

Get more nutrients from your food by eating all the edible parts, and reduce waste in the process. For instance, you don’t need to peel carrots or potatoes, as their skins are rich in vitamins. However, if you prefer to peel vegetables, instead of tossing the skins and other edible parts, simmer them for 20 minutes, freeze and use them another time.

Always plan time to defrost your frozen meat safely, whether in the fridge or microwave. When serving food, opt for smaller plates that make portions look fuller even with smaller amounts. Large plates can tempt you into serving more food, which could lead to leftovers. If kids tend to leave food behind, involve them in the cooking process. They’ll be more likely to finish their plate when they’ve helped prepare the meal.