A life less wasteful

Just because something has been used doesn’t mean it can never be used again. If we learn to make the most of what we already have, we find that we don’t end up purchasing unnecessary items when we have things in the home that could do the same job.

One of the greatest contributors to the level of our nation’s food waste is “use by” and “best before” dates. Retailers are legally required to include safe consumption dates or quality dates on their products, but this system of food labelling can lead to many perfectly edible items being thrown away.

We touched on this  at our event last year, and the general consensus was that using our senses to gauge whether a food is edible or not is a great way to avoid unnecessary waste – with the exception of products with a strict “use by” date.  

This applies particularly to vegetables and fruits which often end up in the bin. We as customers can decide when they are no longer edible by feeling and smelling them and recognising that advisory dates don’t have to be the final say.

With so much conflicting advice out there, it can be confusing to know where to start. But with small steps that lead to lasting change, making the most of what we’ve got at home can become second nature.  

I hope this article has inspired you to reuse items in your own home as part of living a sustainable life. If you have any ideas or tips on ways you can reuse items at home and be more sustainable in your choices, please pop into our Zero Waste Pantry and leave a suggestion on the message board. We read all customer feedback and it’s a great way of highlighting to others any new ways of using less and getting more out of the things we already have.