FROM MAKING A meal plan for the week to using up what’s in the fridge, keeping track of food and limiting food waste can be tricky at times.

National Stop Food Waste Day is on March 1, but just how good are you at staying on top of what’s in your fridge, freezer and cupboards?

The main reason people throw out food at home is because it has passed its use-by date, according to a recent survey by the Environmental Protection Agency. And speaking of ‘use-by dates’, a huge 53% of people don’t know the correct definition of the term (it means the food is safe to be eaten up to a particular date, and not after).

Taking a look at use-by dates when you’re shopping or deciding what to cook is a simple way to reduce food waste at home. There are plenty of easy actions you can take to make use-by dates work for you, for example, by storing your food correctly. You’ll find lots of information and tips to do this at stopfoodwaste.ie. Plus, if you’re passionate about food waste, you can share your thoughts on the government’s draft National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap here.  

Try this quiz to see how your current food waste habits stack up…

1. You’re doing the weekly shop. Do you pay attention to use-by dates on the items you’re buying?

Shutterstock

Always, it helps me to plan ahead

Sometimes, but only if I’m buying meat or poultry

Never

2. You’re back from the shop and putting everything away. What’s your approach to storing more perishable items like meat, fish and poultry?

Shutterstock

I put them on the coolest shelf of the fridge, or straight into the freezer if they won’t get eaten before the use-by date.

I just put them into the fridge wherever they fit

3. You have some items from last week’s shop still in the fridge, and their use-by dates are a few days away. What do you do with them?

Shutterstock

Put them to the front of the fridge so I’m more likely to use them first, or freeze them

Leave them where they are and hope I don’t forget about them

Throw them out now to make space

4. Dinner time! You have some chicken fillets that are at their use-by date today. That means they can be safely eaten right up to the end of today. What’s your next step?

Shutterstock

Throw them out - I won’t eat them today

Make a meal with them which I can freeze or eat tonight

I rarely have unused groceries because I usually plan my week of meals before I go shopping

5. You’ve cooked a delicious curry and there are leftovers that you won’t get around to eating this week. What do you do with them?

Shutterstock

Throw the leftovers out

Offer them to a family member or housemate as lunch for tomorrow

Portion the food up and freeze it for another time

6. In general, food can be kept in the freezer for three to six months. What’s your system to make sure you consume frozen food in good time?

Shutterstock

I label everything when I freeze it, and put older items at the top so I’ll see them

I plan a freezer cook-out every few months to use up the food I've frozen

I don’t have a system

Answer all the questions to see your result!

Shutterstock

You scored out of !

You’re on top of your food waste!

Congrats, it sounds like you’re working hard to make use-by dates work for you. You’re not alone: 76% of people say they always or regularly check use-by dates when shopping. Want some great tips to help keep your food waste low? Read on below…

Share your result:

Share Tweet

Shutterstock

You scored out of !

You’re working hard to limit your food waste - but you could be doing more…

It sounds like you’re trying hard to make use-by dates work for you, but there are still some habits you could change. Want some easy-to-follow tips for reducing your food waste? Read on below…

Share your result:

Share Tweet

Shutterstock

You scored out of !

Sounds like your food waste habits need work…

You could be doing more to make use-by dates work for you. You’re not alone: only 4% of people rate themselves as ‘very good’ at keeping track of food in their fridge. Want some easy-to-follow tips for reducing your food waste? Read on below…

Share your result:

Share Tweet

Staying on top of food waste is simpler than you think. Here are five tips to get you started…

1. Check ‘use-by’ dates on food labels when shopping: This will help you plan ahead for cooking or freezing.

2. Store perishable food properly: See the A-Z of Foods for storage information and advice on freezing safely. 

3. Keep track of use-by dates in your fridge: Place foods with shorter use-by deadlines up front, so you see them first. 

4. Eat food before its use-by deadline is up: You can eat food right up to the end of its use-by date but not after. When the countdown is on, eat it, freeze it, or share it with your family or friends.

5. Freeze food right up to its use-by date: This allows you to eat the food another time and saves you money. Remember, if you freeze something close to its use-by date, you must eat it within 24 hours after defrosting.

You’ll find plenty more resources and tips at stopfoodwaste.ie.