An unbelievable fact for you to consider: each year, Australians throw out $8 billion dollars’ worth of food. That’s millions of tonnes of edible food being sent to a landfill. Not only does food waste cost your household money over a year, it has environmental implications too. Waste that is avoidable equals around 20 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide every year. If this was prevented, the CO2 equivalent would be equal to taking 1 in 5 cars off the road. That's pretty incredible! So what can you really do to avoid wasting your food? Have a look below...

Make a list before you go shopping - Lists aren't for everybody, but they are a great way to prevent waste from your food shop. If you plan all of your meals for the week ahead, you can then plan exactly what food is needed for each meal, preventing most if not all waste. Turning up at the supermarket with no list and just grabbing at what you fancy or what's on offer, will inevitably result in some waste; some of the stuff you buy on a whim won't end up being eaten. Lists save time too which is a bonus, especially if you organise your food list into areas of the shop; it's a real time saver. Studies have shown that people generally spend more when they are hungry...

Don't shop when you're hungry - Even if you're a list person and highly organised, never shop when lunch or dinner is only a short while away. Studies have shown that people generally spend more when they are hungry, and it is usually on unhealthy things too. Buying additional items when you’re hungry not only increases your expenditure, but can easily lead to waste; some of the items bought when hungry, might not look as appetising the next day, and could end up in the bin. So the next time the stomach is grumbling, don't head to the shop straight away; eat first!

Be careful with offers - Buying offers can go either way when it comes to food waste, so you have to be realistic when taking advantage of them. Many people get excited at getting a free product, to realise later in the week that they didn't use it. Food is immediately wasted. However, if you're tactical, offers can be a good thing if you're realistic about what you can do with the free item. If it's freezable, put the free item away and use it the week after, or give it to a friend. If you really don't think you'll use a free item, don't take it just because it's free; leave it, and prevent the waste.

Use your leftovers - If you have some food left over after a meal, be strategic about what you do with it. Before you throw it towards the bin, think about using it the following day. Left over meats or vegetables can easily be turned into something tasty and different the next day. Check out the App 'Love Your Leftovers' on your phone. It has loads of yummy recipes and suggestions for what to do with those leftovers. http://www.loveyourleftovers.nsw.gov.au/

How do you prevent food waste? We’d love to hear your thoughts!