Food Waste: Reduce your grocery bill by eating better

In Quebec, food waste costs an average of $1,300 per household each year. More than 1.2 million tons of food will be thrown away in 2022. Faced with these numbers, Quebec is moving forward in the fight against food waste. But, what should be done to avoid food waste?

The expert in combating food waste, Eric Menard, states in an interview with Quebec Matin that it is necessary first and foremost to look at what you already have at home, and then complement that.

He adds, “Often, we start out wanting to buy certain foods, and we’ll go to the grocery store to buy a lot of new foods, when there may be other foods that are about to go missing in the fridge.”

The most perishable ingredients, such as fruits, vegetables, or meats, should be on your priority list. “We have to adjust our menu based on what we already have, to reduce waste,” says Mr. Maynard.

Also, having a grocery list is a good option to avoid buying foods you don’t need.

You can still take advantage of the discounts if you want to, but “you have to do it smartly, and with clarity,” he notes.

Oftentimes, it is better not to take advantage of a discount, if you have no idea when it will be consumed. “If we buy broccoli two for one, and waste one of the two, we won’t be back with our money,” the expert said.

“Throwing food wastes money!”

The more food you throw away, the higher your bill.

Being in an over-consumer society, waste becomes insignificant. People tend to think, “Why would I take an imperfect product? When I can throw it away and go buy another one?”

However, it is important to change practices at this level.

Expiration dates should not be seen as an obligation to throw away food after the date it was introduced.

For the expert, supervision and better understanding are essential to avoid waste.

“That doesn’t mean you have to throw it away, you have to consume it more quickly once it’s past the date. It’s not because it was better before, because it’s not as good after that,” concludes Mr. Maynard.