LEARN TO LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS
Most of us are guilty of throwing food away on a regular basis. Whether that’s because it’s gone past its use-by date or we simply cooked too much, we need to reduce the amount of food we send to landfill. Not only will this help slow down climate change and protect the planet, but it will also save you money. The key to a change in culinary habits is to learn to love your leftovers. To help you store any leftovers and keep them fresh for up to five times’ longer, ZWILLING has launched its innovative Fresh & Save collection of vacuum sealed food storage containers and bags. As well as helping to reduce food waste, it will also save you time, money and lock in food’s natural nutrients, vitamins and minerals too.
According to research by the BBC, more than 900 million tonnes of food is thrown away every year globally and 60% of that is from our kitchens. During lockdown, our habits did start to change and more of us started to plan meals, make shopping lists, and use up leftovers. Chefs appeared on our TV screens with wonderful leftover recipes and helpful tips for reducing waste and we’ve become aware of how we can live more sustainably.
There are many ways you can learn to love your leftovers.
The first step is to buy the kit that will enable you to store food safely and keep it fresh for up to five times’ longer. ZWILLING’s Fresh & Save vacuum storage boxes and bags are perfect for leftovers as well as seasonal produce, packed lunches and batch cooking.
If you’ve cooked too much during the week or weekend, instead of throwing the leftovers in the bin, pop them into a Fresh & Save Vacuum Box or Bag, suck the air out using the wireless smart Vacuum Pump and you have a delicious meal or snack that can be stored in the fridge or freezer for another day. Vacuum sealing not only keeps food fresh for up to five times’ longer but it also helps preserve food’s flavour, vitamins and nutrients.
The vacuum sealed boxes and bags can be stored in the fridge, freezer or cupboard depending on their contents and help make life easier while reducing waste at the same time. Pre-prepared dishes can be re-heated and even placed straight into the oven up to 180°C {with lid removed} if using one of the glass Vacuum Boxes. Lunches can also be made in advance with handy Vacuum Lunchboxes with separate compartments for sweet and savoury snacks. The Vacuum Bags are ideal for portioned fruit, vegetables and nuts or can also be used for healthy sous-vide cooking.
Another great way to reduce food waste is to plan ahead. Sit down with pen and paper or use an app such as AnyList and decide on meals for the week ahead. Think about dishes that could easily double up such as mince or Quorn mince for chilli, shepherd’s pie and spaghetti bolognaise. Check what you already have in the cupboards, fridge and freezer then only buy what’s on your list. And don’t go shopping hungry!
Batch cooking is another great way to make produce go further. Make a few days’ worth of meals in one go and vacuum seal portions ready to store in the fridge or freezer for reheating another day. This also saves time and frees you up for sports, hobbies or simply relaxing after a long day.
Staying organised when it comes to the food shop is also key to reducing food waste. Every now and then, empty the cupboards, fridge and freezer and see what you have in stock. Make a note so you don’t double up when shopping and sort the use-by dates, so you have items at the front that need eating first.
You can also download the ZWILLING Culinary World app from the App Store and Google Play. Every Fresh & Save product features a QR code that can be scanned with the app. Simply key in a few details and it will remind you when food’s extended shelf life is approaching.
