Every year, roughly one-third of the food produced for human consumption—around 1.3 billion tons—gets wasted, says a report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Food wastage is also becoming a public concern in the Philippines, with the country losing more than 900,000 kilos of rice according to the latest PSA data.
Following its goal to prioritize healthy living, Beko listed some clever habits to manage leftovers, while ensuring that the family gets all the nutrients from the food they eat.
Monitor food consumption
Monitoring food consumption during meals can prevent having any leftovers. By doing so, home cooks also promote a well-balanced diet by giving their family just the right portions of each food item that has essential nutrients needed by the body.
To make it easier, check out the “Pinggang Pinoy,” an easy-to-understand tool released by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology. This visual food guide contains the recommended food portions, aiming to lead Filipinos in consuming the right amount of food for a healthy and balanced diet daily.
Transform leftovers into gourmet dishes
Despite trying to prepare just the right amount of food for the family, circumstances happen that leaves food on the table. Leftovers need not immediately end up in the garbage, they can be used to whip up a better version of a recipe by mixing the right kind of remaining ingredients.
Salads and soups are a popular way to manage leftovers. Mix favorite pieces of leftover meats, fish, and choice of crops. Like the creation of new dishes, transforming leftovers makes for great appetizers. Kids often leave vegetables untouched because of its blandness. Present them in a way that makes them appealing.
Store fresh produce properly
Improper storage of produce leads to early spoilage. Certain organic compounds, like ethylene gas, contribute to the early maturity of fruits. This type of emission is common in fruits, such as bananas, strawberries, avocados, and mangoes.
Cover the tips of bananas and keep strawberries in the fridge to slow down their ripening. It is also recommended to separate these types of fruits from the other ethylene-sensitive produce like potatoes and vegetables to avoid spoilage and food waste.
Follow the FIFO Method
Keep the fridge well-stocked but don’t go overboard. Try the “First in, First Out” (FIFO) method to avoid food spoilage.
In addition, the features of the refrigerator helps in storing leftovers properly. For instance, manage them through the Everfresh+ feature of Beko’s inverter refrigerator.
This refrigerator provides a decent space in its special crisper compartment for storing leftovers that can be used in the next meal plan. Beko’s EverFresh+ technology regulates and controls humidity inside the crisper compartment that aids in prolonging the shelf life of produce, thus preserving their fresh and crisp qualities for up to 30 days. Meanwhile, its IonGuard technology removes odors in the fridge by circulating negative ions that remove bacteria and other odor-causing particles, while its NeoFrost dual cooling technology maintains high humidity in the fridge while keeping the freezer dry, frozen, and frost free.