National Nutrition Week | Let "cherish food and reduce waste" become the lifestyle of every family

Diligence and thrift are traditional virtues of our country and also the fine traditions of the Chinese nation; respecting labor, cherishing food and eliminating waste are principles that everyone should abide by.

However, in today's society, for families, food waste is still common, either because of the need to eat fresh food to ensure food safety or because of improper food storage. Therefore, the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" strongly advocates that everyone should be a practitioner and promoter of "cherishing food, reducing waste" and "new food fashion", and every family has the responsibility to cultivate a civilized lifestyle of "cherishing food, reducing waste" in daily life.

Families can reduce food waste by taking effective measures in several aspects, including purchasing food, proper storage, processing and cooking, and dining out.

1. Buy food on demand

#Make a meal plan and buy as needed

Before buying food, you should make a shopping list and plan based on the current food available at home. When shopping, only choose the food on the shopping list and do not buy extra cheap items that are not planned, which can effectively reduce waste and save money.

When purchasing food, you should consider factors such as the number of people dining, each person's food preferences, and make a coordinated plan. Purchase on demand and control the total amount to ensure freshness and avoid food waste.

2. Reasonable storage and clever use

#Store according to food characteristics and indicated storage conditions

For food that can be stored for a short period of time, it should be stored according to the characteristics of the food and the storage conditions indicated, and should be eaten within a certain period of time to avoid food becoming stale or spoiled, which would cause waste. For example, meat can be cut into small pieces, packed separately and placed in the freezer, and a bag can be taken out when it is time to eat; bagged rice and flour can be tied up after taking out, or transferred to an appropriate sealed container and stored in a cool and dry place.

#Excessive purchase of vegetables can be simply processed and frozen for storage

If you buy a lot of vegetables, in order to preserve them for a long time, you can simply heat them, divide them into small portions and put them in the freezer of the refrigerator for freezing. This is convenient to use and can also avoid waste.

#Mark the start time of food storage

In order to better grasp the time and period of food storage, it is recommended to mark the start time of storage on the storage packaging to remind people to finish eating as soon as possible and reduce waste.

3. Process and cook small portions

#Small portions, reasonable meal preparation

Small food portions are a good way to achieve food diversity for everyone and reduce waste. Don't cook too much food at one time. It should be arranged reasonably according to the number of dining members and their appetite. All kinds of food should be reasonably distributed in the three meals to avoid a lot of leftovers. At the same time, separate meals are also an important way to prevent and control foodborne diseases and ensure food hygiene.

#Make full use of ingredients

Preparing meals at home also includes the processing of vegetables, meat, etc. before cooking. Try to make full use of food and edible parts to reduce food "waste". For example, you can cut broccoli stems into thin slices and use them in soup or stir-fry instead of throwing them away.

#How to process leftovers

Leftovers after family meals are inevitable. With proper processing, they can be turned into delicious dishes for the next meal. Leftovers can be directly heated and eaten, or made into porridge, vegetable porridge, fried rice and other ingredients. Meat can be cut into small pieces or shredded meat, and fresh vegetables can be added to the pot to make a new dish; it can also be cooked with rice to make fried rice. Cooked vegetables, especially leafy vegetables, should not be stored. Vegetables have very low energy and do not affect energy intake. It is best to eat them all at once. Fruits and root vegetables can be added to meat to make new dishes.

It should be noted that leftover meat should be placed in a clean container and covered and refrigerated as soon as possible; leftover rice can be cooled and put in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Avoid storing at inappropriate temperatures to prevent mold or deterioration, which will cause food "garbage". Leftover food must be eaten as soon as possible under the premise of safety and hygiene.

4. “Clean Plate Campaign” when dining out

When dining out, it is recommended to order small portions or half portions, order food rationally and in moderation, and avoid extravagance and waste; pack up leftovers, eat well but not too much, and promote the "Clean Plate Campaign."

When consuming buffet meals, you should also assess your needs and take small amounts multiple times to avoid taking too much at one time and not being able to finish the food, which would cause unnecessary waste.

Finally, every family should also pay attention to the subtle and effective dietary education for children and adolescents, so that children can develop the habit of taking only as much as they can eat, and pass on the civilized lifestyle of cherishing food and reducing waste.

Author: Tian Su | Associate Professor, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University

Reviewer: Yang Xiaoguang | Vice President of the Chinese Nutrition Society, Professor of the Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention