In Spain, every year 1.7 million are wasted kilos of foodwhich represents a great negative impact on both the environment and our pockets. One of the main causes of this waste is the lack of planning when make the purchasewhich leads us to accumulate products that we do not need or that end up expiring.
However, to counteract this situation that affects Spain, and the entire EU, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is promoting campaigns to raise awareness and inform the population on how to eradicate this food waste and, also, save money. One of the tricks is very simple and effective: make the reverse shopping list.
What is the reverse shopping list?
The shopping list Inverse is a variant of the classic product listing, but with a different approach; Instead of directly writing down what you think you need to buy, you first have to review what you already have at home.
From there, a list based on what is really missing to do the recipes that have been planned or the basic products that are essential in the diet of each home because they are consumed practically daily.
This simple change of perspective when making the shopping list has a significant impact, since helps save by avoiding buying things you already have in the pantry or that are not urgently needed. For example, instead of pointing directly “rice” or “pasta” Because they are products that are usually purchased automatically, it would be necessary to check if they are already in the pantry so as not to store them.
How to put it into practice
Actually, the trick of the reverse shopping list is very easy to take into daily life, since it only consists of three fundamental steps:
- Check the pantry and refrigerator: Before you leave home, take a look at what you already have. Write down on the list the foods that you are going to run out of or that you absolutely need for the following week. This is also useful for viewing the expiration dates and take advantage of products that will be available soon and thus not waste that food.
- Plan meals: Once you have reviewed your kitchen, plan the week’s menu based on what you already have. For example, if you have half a bag of lentils and a couple of carrots, you could prepare a stew and just buy the rest of the ingredients you are missing.
- Make the list of what you need: after having reviewed and done the weekly menumake a list of the products you really need. This will help you reduce impulse purchases and focus on the essentials. At the end of the day, it all comes down to conscious organization.
In addition to avoiding food waste or savings in pockets, This type of shopping list also helps control the impulse to go to all the offers for the feeling of “savings” without really knowing if they are going to be consumed or not since, many times, these discounted products end up in the trash because they have not been sold.
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