The teaser for My Kitchen Rules SA Season 2 has landed. In case you missed it, check it out here. If you’ve seen it, you may be wondering: “When was the last time I was in a food fight?” If you can’t remember, well done on the whole adulting thing. We’re still trying.
You may also have been thinking “I wonder what they did with all that food afterwards.” As mentioned at the end of the teaser: “No food was wasted in the making of this commercial.” Fighting food waste is a hot topic, and for good reason.
According to WWF South Africa, a third of our country’s food is never consumed and lands in rubbish dumps. Food waste creates carbon dioxide and methane gas – two greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change.
In the words of world-renowned chef Anthony Bourdain, “use everything, waste nothing”. That’s why we made sure the food used in the My Kitchen Rules SA teaser didn’t land in the bin. Instead, we donated it Woodrock Animal Rescue NPO.
An animal rescue or pig farm is a great solution for fighting food waste. But there's plenty more you can do to fight food waste. Here are a few ideas:
Make Banana Bread
In another bid to be more health-conscious, you start the week by purchasing bunches of bananas. By the end of the week you’ve indulged in one too many takeout meals and your forgotten fruit is yellow no more. Don’t chuck them out! Overripe bananas are perfect for making banana bread.
Make Smoothies, Sauces, and Jam
You don’t need to stop at bread. Overripe bananas – and other fruit like strawberries and apricots – work well in making smoothies, sauces and jams.
Start a Compost Heap
A compost heap is a great destination for food waste. Don’t stop at overripe fruit. You can also chuck in eggshells, coffee grounds, and rice. Bear in mind that some things can’t be chucked in, such as meat, fish, and onions.
Be Prepared
Set aside time every week or month to plan and prepare your meals in advance. Freeze them and take them out as and when needed. You’ll make much better use of the ingredients in your fridge, save time because you won’t have to cook every night, save money because you won’t be chucking out food you forgot about, and help save the planet by keeping food waste out of landfills.
Don’t Overstock
Never shop hungry. You’re more likely to purchase items you don’t need. Don’t be duped by two for one specials. They’re great if you know that you’ll use everything you buy, but if you’re buying them for the sake of cheap prices instead of necessity you’ll probably just find it turned into mush a week or two down the line.
Got any great tips and ideas to fight food waste? Share them on social media using #MKRSA.