What 8. person in the world suffers from hunger and has no access to mealsóin, które would ensure its proper developmentój – these data detailólnie strongly sound in the context of the upcoming World Food Day.

October 16 in a mannerób particularólny we think about the problem of hunger and nonóin the global food distribution. It makes us look at how we ourselves use food. For it turns out that we very often waste, as a society, large amounts of food, including in our home kitchens. How to counteract this?

Each Pole throws away about 52 kg of food a year

„Eurostat reports that the source ofódents of food loss and waste in the European Union are all stages of the food production and distribution chain, although in rótier. In 2016 r. EU Fusion project group points out that the mainósource ofóThe source of waste is still households (53%), followed by processingórity (19%), catering (12%), manufacturing (11%) and sales (5%)”, indicates Kinga Zięba, Food Acquisition and PR Coordinator at SOS Food Bank in Warsaw.

„Nearly 9 million tons of food are wasted in Poland (Eurostat data from 2006. published in a report by the European Commission in October 2010.). By count, each Pole throws away about 52 kg of food a year. The data places Poland as the fifth most food wasting country in the European Union, behind the UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands.

Surveyed Poles among theód the three most frequently thrown away productsów indicated, in order, cured meats (43%), bread (36%), vegetables (32%) and fruits (27%). On the other hand, amongóhe most frequently cited reasons for throwing away food are: missing the "best-before" date (38%), shopping too much (15%) and oversized meal portionsów (13%).

However, Poles declare that they throw away less food than in 2005., which may indicate some effectiveness of ongoing social campaigns encouraging proper food handling. Data confirms that more affluent people and those in high positions are willing to throw away food more easily. The elderly and those with lower incomeów are less likely to throw away food („Declarations of Polesów on food waste” CBOS 2016).

The consequence of such inappropriate patternsów are hindering economic and social development, but róalso deteriorating the environment. It is worth bearing in mind that while we throw food in the trash, almost 3 million Polesów lives in extreme poverty. On a day-to-day basis, it is Food Banks that save food from going to waste – they are helpful in managing food quickly and efficiently. But in fact, each of us has a real impact on the problem, as consumers waste the most food”, mówi Kinga Zięba.

Each of us has an influential

„The most important thing is that we ourselves should be aware of the problem”, adds Iwonna Niegowska, Knorr brand nutritionist. „For each of us can take action to prevent food waste. Below you will find some valuable advice, którs worth following from now on”:

1. Plan!

The first step towards the goal is advance meal planningów. If you know what you and your family want to eat in the next 3-4 days, you will plan your shopping accordingly. How to go about it?

Before going to the store, check the contents of the iceboxówks and cabinets, and then make a list of productsów, whichóre you want to buy. During the purchaseów w w complete products according to the list – in this wayób don't give in to impulses. Planning will allow you to buy only those products thatóre you actually manage to consume, and in such an amount that youóra you need.

2. Have on hand „kitchen essentials”

It is a good idea to always have in your kitchen products thatóre have a longer shelf life. They allow you to prepare meals using what's left over from today's lunch or dinner, and what we often recklessly throw away, e.g.:

• Pasta, groats, rice – make dishes with them, using meat from the broth, cooked vegetables or fruits that are losing their freshness;
• bulk and canned culinary products – Thanks to them you can use cooked pasta or vegetables, cooking a casserole or making a salad.

3. Divide into portions!

Divide purchased food into portions, które you manage to use up at once. In this wayób You can use one part today and store the rest. When freezing food, divide it so that next time you móthaw only the portion you need. In addition, you can sign the bags or boxes – looking into the freezer, we will know what is in it.

4. Think while buyingów!

• Wonderingów yourself whether a large package is necessarily needed. If you buy yogurt or cream in a large package, be sure to use it all up.
• Don't buy when you are hungry – You will probably buy more food than you can use up.
• Check expiration dates to be sure you have time to eat the products you buy in the meantime.

5. Store!

Keep purchased products in the recommended conditions so as not to expose them to early spoilage. To do so, check the manufacturer's recommendationsów, whether the product should be stored e.g. in the iceboxówce, in a shady place, etc. Take advantage of storage techniques – Freeze, preserve, dry foods, któcrust you won't use up before it spoils.

6. Look for culinary inspiration!

Have in the iceboxówce a few productsóbut you have no idea what to do with them? Look for ideasów – sourceóThere is no shortage of puzzles: the Internet, the press, mom's recipes.

7. Keep in order!

All the products thatóre you store in the iceóInce and on póIf you buy yogurt or sour cream in large packages, be sure to keep them in your kitchen at all times – this wayób in the first place you will use up those thatóre have the mostótighter shelf life.

8. Use „leftovers”, don't mindlessly throw away!

Before you throw away the products left over from dinner or those thatóre they lose their freshness, thinków yourself how else you can use them.

Here are some tipsówek how to do it and what products we can reuse:

• stale bread – will be used to make croutons, breadcrumbs or toastów;
• cooked potatoes – Thanks to them you will prepare kopytki or delicious casseroles;
• cooked rice, pasta or semolina – we can use them in salads, casseroles or as an addition to soups;
• cooked meat from broth – can become an ingredient in stuffing for noodles, pâtéów or sandwich spreads;
• boiled eggs – are used to prepare sandwich pastes, they can also become an addition to salads;
• cooked beans, peas – Help conjure up delicious pastes;
• dried fruits – are excellent for compote.

9. Share and help!

Donate unused food – to your relatives or organizations involved in helping the needy or distributing food. The food will not end up in the trash and will be useful to those whoówho really need it.