Through poor portion control or buying too much fresh food that goes off before we use it we create a lot of waste.  Being aware is a personal responsibility. My concern is that it?s not a priority for most people. In addition, there are those than honestly don?t care. We need to start caring and be responsible individuals first. My goal is to raise awareness to this issue while helping myself and others understand more regarding food waste and how to prevent it. As I?ve begun this process of self-education I?ve felt that the best way to paint a picture for others is to let the numbers do talking. Let?s take a look at some of tips that I've shared at the campaign to help you reduce food waste, save money and protect the environment.

Write a list! Menu plan your meals for a week. Check the ingredients in your fridge and cupboards, then write a shopping list for just extras you need. Second, stick to the list! You have to take your list with you and stick to it when you are in the store. Don?t be tempted by offers and don?t shop when you?re hungry. Buy what you need!  Third, keep your healthy fridge. You must check that the seals on your fridge are good and check the fridge temperature too. Then, if you find fruit that is going soft, you can make it into smoothies or fruit pies. Vegetables that are starting to wilt can be made into soup. Fifth tip, Just use up your leftovers! Instead of scraping leftovers into the bin, why not use them for tomorrow?s ingredients? For example, a bit tuna could be added to pasta and made into a pasta bake. A tablespoon of cooked vegetables can be the base for crock pot meal. Next, when you buy new food from the store, bring all the older items in your cupboards and fridge to the front. Put the new food towards the back and you run less of finding something moldy at the back of your food stores. Seventh tip, try to serve small amounts of food with the understanding that everybody can come back for more once they?ve cleared their plate. This is especially helpful for children, who rarely estimate how much they can eat once. Any leftovers can be cooled, stored in the fridge and used another day. Last, let?s turn it into garden food! Some food waste is unavoidable, so why not set up a compost bin for fruit and vegetable peelings? In few months you will end up with rich, valuable compost for your plants. If you have to cooked food waste, then a kitchen composter will do the trick. Just feed it with your scraps (you can even put fish and meat in it), sprinkle over a layer of special microbes and leave to ferment. The resulting product can be used on houseplants and in the garden.

In the end, food waste is something that affects us all. It happens anywhere food has a presence the grocery store, restaurants, in our homes, at schools, on farms, in production and even in transportation. It affects people everywhere those living oceans away and those that share our boarders, people living around the globe, businesses and households alike. Food waste can be decreased dramatically by becoming aware of the food waste generated in the home and by changing your consumer habits. As a part of youths, let?s act together to reduce our foot print!