At Lighthouse Care, our number one priority and passion is helping families in need. There are countless families in our community struggling to make ends meet and with the rising cost of living it’s only getting harder.
Did you know, according to the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water “Food waste costs the Australian economy around $36.6 billion each year … This equals about 312kg per person and can cost up to $2,500 per household per year”. Thats a huge amount of money that could go directly towards helping a family pay their bills or rent.
The team at Lighthouse Care are passionate about reducing food wastage as they have seen the positive impact this has had in their own lives. Food wastage has a direct effect on families’ finances and budgeting and oftentimes all that is needed to make a difference is knowledge of food consumption.
Here is what you need to know about food consumption and sustainability:
Foods past their “best before” dates are safe to consume.
Understanding the difference between “best before” and “use by” dates is the first step towards making a positive change in the way you shop and consume foods. “Best before” dates on packaged foods emphasise quality, not safety. Food can remain safe to eat after this date, provided it has been stored correctly and shows no signs of spoilage. Foods past their “use by” dates should not be consumed.
As part of our resolute commitment to providing affordable groceries for families in need and promoting a sustainable future, you’ll find some items at Lighthouse Care that are past their “best before” dates. This practice minimizes waste and empowers our community to make conscientious choices.
If you don’t eat it, it goes to landfill.
One aspect contributing to food wastage is the over-ordering practices of big companies. Often, these corporations order more than what’s needed, leading to a large amount of non perishable food that ends up in landfill when it’s still safe to consume.
This is where we step in, we work hard to purchase these items before they reach landfill, while they are still consumable, giving us the ability to sell it at a significantly reduced cost. This alleviates financial strain for families in need and it gives them a greater chance at paying off essentials like rent or bills.
We also partner with charities like Secondbite who donate a portion of this surplus to Lighthouse Care, these donations are given out for free or placed in the $25 trolley as extra items.
Marked fruits and vegetables are safe to consume.
Just because your fruit and veggies have some marks and bruises it doesn’t mean they aren’t edible. If free of visible spoilage these foods can still be used in smoothies, juices and desserts.
Freeze it for later.
Before you throw your food out consider if it can be frozen to be consumed at a later date. Most foods, if stored properly can be frozen for later consumption. This tip is a great way to save money. At Lighthouse Care we provide a $25 trolley that has ra wide variety of selected items in it and it changes every day. A great way to make the most out of your $25 trolley is to meal plan. If you aren’t planning on using any items that week, perhaps it can be frozen for a later week.
By understanding sustainability and food wastage we are one step closer to creating a brighter future and bringing hope to families in need.
