One million tonnes of food is wasted across Ireland per year, according to data from the EPA. Not only is that a waste of money, but it’s a huge environmental issue: it’s estimated that food waste produces up to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, as noted by Project Drawdown.

Our app is one small way of reducing food waste, but it’s only one part of the issue. Overall, our goal is to activate policymakers as part of a broader movement towards eating more sustainably, and impact change across the supply chain - and that means helping people prevent food waste in the home, too.

So, what easy swaps can you make that will help you cut back on waste?

PLAN YOUR SHOPPING LIST DIFFERENTLY

Like most things in life, it ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it. Change how you think about meal planning: rather than buying food for specific recipes, think about how many other recipes you can get out of the same foods. For example, one night’s lasagne white sauce can easily be the basis of tomorrow’s mushrooms on toast. By thinking about the herbs, spices and flavourings making it into your basket, the same vegetable or protein can be wonderfully versatile each day of the week

REMEMBER THAT PAST-ITS-BEST DOESN’T MEAN IN-THE-BIN

If you know that you’re not going to eat that spinach in the crisper on time, freeze it in ice cube trays for future smoothies. The sourdough loaf is dry? It’ll make for brilliant breadcrumbs. Creativity can be the key to sustainability, and items that are wilting, dry, or soft can become excellent side-cast members in future dishes.

PREVENT FOOD WASTAGE FROM DAY 1

A few simple changes to how you store perishables will keep them in good nick for much longer. Store carrots in a jar of water to keep them crunchy and fresh for weeks, refrigerate mushrooms in a paper bag or with paper in a tub to absorb excess moisture, and pop your lemons in a bowl of water and store them in the fridge to keep them fresh for much longer.

These three easy tips can help you to reframe food waste as something you can prep your way out of, rather than the inevitable outcome of a busy life. Happy food saving!

Ps. You can find tonnes of food waste reduction tips on our Instagram.