Collectively, households are responsible for about 30% of the total food wasted in Australia each year, wasting around $2,500 worth of food per household per year on average.
Reducing food waste sent to landfill at home is the easiest step individuals can take to reduce their environmental footprint.
Tips to avoid food waste everyday
- Plan meals ahead of time
- Make a shopping list
- Store food correctly
- Use up ingredients
- Make use of leftovers
Visit The Great Unwaste for more information on how to prevent food waste at home and check out Saveful for easy, customisable recipes to use up ingredients you already have in your fridge or pantry.
There will always be unavoidable kitchen scraps and offcuts that need to be disposed of. Food waste, certified compostable service ware, and green organic waste can all be diverted for composting through the green organics (FOGO) bin in all metropolitan areas and many regional centres.
Ventilated kitchen caddies and compostable bags for households to divert food waste are commonly provided by councils for residents. Since September 2024, when bans came into place in SA for single-use plastic barrier bags, households have ready access to a supply of AS 4736 and AS 5810 certified compostable bags from supermarkets and retail outlets, which can be used to help divert food waste.
Contact your council or check Which Bin for advice on how to correctly dispose of food waste and materials and services available in your area.
If you’d like to start your own home compost or worm farm for suitable food scraps, some councils provide rebates for home composting systems. For more information on composting at home, check out Green Adelaide’s guide to starting a home composting system.
