This edition will share practical tips for Maltese households (or anyone) can use to cut food waste day to day:

 

Firstly, plan meals and shop with a list. It might be obvious, but before going to the local markets, make a meal plan for the week and buy only what you realistically will use. This reduces impulse buys that may spoil. After you do that, use the “first in, first out” method in your fridge and pantry. This means store new items behind older ones, so the ones closer to expiry get used first. This helps prevent items from being forgotten until they spoil. Also important to store food properly. Use airtight containers, resealable bags, or wrap foods to preserve freshness. Some produce (like bananas, tomatoes) keeps better outside the fridge, others better inside, learn ideal storage. Proper storage AIDS in reducing food spillage. Many foods are still fine after the “best before” date (they just may lose quality). Reserve “use by” for high-risk items (e.g. dairy, meats) and don’t discard food prematurely. Taste, smell, and inspect before discarding. In essence, acquaint yourself and better understand “best before” vs “use by” dates.

Turn our advantage into an advantage, reserve surplus fruit/vegetables. In Malta, with good sun and seasonal produce, you can dry herbs, sun-dry tomatoes, make jams, chutneys or freeze portions of vegetables so they last longer. Oh yes! if you have a garden or even a balcony, compost peels, cores, coffee grounds, etc. Otherwise, use vegetable scraps to make stocks or soups instead of throwing them away. Basically, compost organic scraps or use them in creative ways. This is a big one. Portion wisely. Serve smaller portions; you can always go back for seconds. This helps avoid leftovers going uneaten. Leftovers, however, are inevitable. Transform leftovers into new meals (e.g. rice or pasta into fried rice, soups, casseroles). Leftover vegetables can go into frittatas, stews, or pies. Use leftovers creatively, which is also worth mentioning. If you see something nearing its end (bread, cooked meals, fruits), freeze it before it goes bad, so you can use it later, short-term. Freeze before spoilage. Lastly, support local markets and buy “imperfect” produce At Maltese farmers’ markets, ask for “ugly” or imperfect fruits and vegetables which might otherwise go unsold. Buying them helps reduce waste upstream and often costs less.

 

Bonus suggestion: Try out ‘Malta first Food Co-op’, a community-owned shop recently opened at fair prices for both the farmer and the consumer, & you’ll always know exactly where your food is coming from. Visit The Food Coop at Pitkalija, Ta’ Qali, open from 08:00 till 19:00 on weekdays, and 08:00 to 13:00 on weekends!

 

This article is a part series of the EXCEL4MED project, funded by the Horizon Europe programme, which aims to boost innovation in the agri-food sector across Malta, Greece, and France. With its website now fully available in French, Italian, Spanish, and English, more stakeholders, including researchers, producers, policymakers, and consumers, can engage with the project in the language they feel most comfortable with. Read more on: https://excel4med.eu/.

 

Koperattivi Malta is proud to support this initiative in collaboration with:

@EXCEL4MED @MaltaFoodAgency @MaltaEnterprise @TheMaltaChamber @UniversityofMalta @SmartAgroHub