Plan weekday dinners
Small acts are all it takes to make a big impact
Planning weekday dinners can:
- save you time and stress because you know what you will be cooking
- save you money – you are less likely to buy ingredients you don’t need or won’t use by planning a menu for the week ahead
- help you reduce the amount of food going to waste which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the use of valuable resources.
It’s a small act with a big impact on Victoria’s sustainable future.
Why it matters
Food waste in Victoria
- Each year, Victorian households throw away 250,000 tonnes of edible food – enough to fill Melbourne’s Eureka Tower.
- The average household in Victoria throws away $2,600 a year in wasted food.
- Almost two thirds of the food Victorian households throw away could have been eaten.
(Sustainability Victoria, Path to Half Report, 2020)
The environmental impact
Food thrown into your general rubbish bin ends up in landfill. Food in landfill breaks down in a way that creates greenhouse gases, including methane, which affects air quality and public health. When we waste food, we also waste the resources used to grow our food (water, soils and energy) and all the energy used to process, package and transport food from farms to markets to our homes.
Tips and tricks
Start small and slowly
If you’re not used to planning your meals, getting started may feel daunting. Ease yourself into it by planning just one or 2 meals for the week ahead. You can always slowly add more meals to your plan later as you see fit.
Make the most of what you have
Planning your meals around the food you already have at home that needs using up is one of the best ways to avoid wasting food. OzHarvest has some great recipes that transform commonly wasted ingredients into delicious meals.
Make the most of what you buy
Try choosing recipes so that ingredients used in one meal can be used in other meals.
Get everyone involved
Getting the family involved and letting them suggest what they’d like to eat can be fun. And knowing who’s going to be home for dinner that week helps you plan meal sizes accordingly.
Choose a planning tool that works for you
There are plenty of tools out there that can make meal planning easier. Try using a meal planning app if you’re more of a digital planner. Some apps can even generate a shopping list from your meal plan. Those who prefer using pen and paper can find a large variety of free printable meal planners online.
Find a small act that works for you
There are many easy ways to reduce waste and recycle more. Find small acts that work for you and be part of Victoria’s sustainable future.
