When we are tightening our belts, there are many steps we can take. From turning off the lights when we leave a room to wearing another jumper instead of turning the heating on. But there are also a range of ways to help the reduction of food waste too. They might seem unusual, but science tells us they could make our food last longer and save us cash at the supermarkets. That has to be worth a go, right?

Tips for the reduction of food waste

Vegetable vinegar baths

When you get back from the big shop, you probably chuck the good in the cupboard or fridge and then skip away merrily. But if you want your veg to last longer, you need to make a solution in a bowl that is one part vinegar to three parts water. Chuck your veg in and let it soak in the ‘bath’ for 15 minutes, then rinse, dry and put away.

This kills off bacteria that breaks veg down more quickly, making it last longer and helping the reduction of food waste in your home.

Salt your milk

This is not a typo. Adding salt to your milk is great for making it last even longer. You stick a pinch in when you get it home, shake the bottle and stick it in the fridge. The salt fights off the bacteria. We all learnt in school that olden days people kept their meat in salt before fridges, but this is not such common knowledge. Goodness knows how it makes your brews taste, though.

Isolate your bananas

Your bananas are evil. Delicious, but evil. They bring down the other fruit in your bowl using ethylene, which speeds up the ripening process and makes them go rotten. To make food last longer, put them somewhere else so they can’t wreak their havoc.

Ice bread

You know how annoying it is when you grab the loaf and realise it has gone stale. The trick here is to run an ice cube over your bread and then stick it in the oven. This returns some moisture to it and makes it last another day. A simple, but effective method for the reduction of food waste.

Freeze fresh herbs

Fresh herbs last approximately ten seconds once you get them back from the supermarket. But you can change that. If you think you’re not going to use them right away, stick them in an ice cube tray with either olive oil or water covering them. Add them to the freezer and bring them out when you need them for a recipe.

Do you have any other tips to make food last longer? Leave them in the Comments