British philosopher and author Julian Baggini once said, “It’s not leftovers that are wasteful, but those who either don’t know what to do with them or can’t be bothered.” While many Kenyan households try to reduce food wastage, a recent Food Waste Index Report by UNEP indicated that every Kenyan throws away 99Kgs of food annually. This is despite millions of people across the globe succumbing to hunger.
The numbers don’t lie and making good use of leftover food is not only going to save your coins, but it is also great for the environment. Below are some creative ways of managing leftover food:
Set aside a day for eating leftovers on your menu
Dedicating a day to leftovers in your menu, will not only reduce food wastage but will also save you time and keep your fridge organized as you will be able to deliberately create room for fresh food.
Reuse vegetable stalks and fruit peels
Kick the guilt of throwing stalks and peels by repurposing them. For example, bones and vegetable stalks can be used to make nutritious soups, potato peels can be used to make compost, orange peels are perfect for making DIY household air freshener, etc.
Reinvent leftovers into tasty meals
Get creative in the kitchen and upgrade the leftovers into more delicious meals. For example, the leftover grilled pork or chicken or even steamed vegetables would make a tasty sandwich for breakfast the next day. Overripe bananas can be used to make banana bread.
Avoid having leftover food all together
They say that prevention is better than cure. Therefore, you can reduce the possibility of having leftovers through proper planning and portioning of food and also proper storage of excess food. Cook only what is enough.
Spice up your pet’s diet
Leftover food can be a great addition to the food that you feed your pets, poultry, or even livestock. For instance, your dogs and cats will appreciate the flavor in your leftover beef or chicken stew. Vegetable stalks can be chopped and fed to the chickens.
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