I-Phone App for Food Waste?
Is there really an i-phone App for Food Waste? Yes- it’s true!
The folks at Waste Aware Scotland have created an i-phone app that helps the home consumer learn how to reduce food waste.
“The app provides consumers with easy to use interactive tools such as a portion size planner; recipe finder for leftover ingredients; weekly meal planner and various hints and tips on how to reduce food waste. The app asks users to put their ingredients into an on-screen blender, (these could be leftovers or ingredients they already have but are not sure how to make into a meal) then simply shake it to create an easy, healthy recipe.”
We tried the blender on our i-phone in the office – very fun!
The idea is to carry this information with you when you go to the grocery store. Using that shopping list with a meal planner helps you to only buy what you need and in the portions required for each meal. Thus avoiding waste. No more extra vegetables, or moldy bread that was never used. One function of the app allows you to select the number of adults and children for each meal. The planner adjusts food quantities – 500 grams of chicken, 6 broccoli florets, etc. Very helpful when you are in a hurry.
Here is the link for the iPhone App: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/love-food-hate-waste/id348154861?mt=8
The website; www.wasteawarelovefood.org.uk, like the app, now has a handy portion planning tool and recipe finder for leftover ingredients. So you can plan your meals and portions from home and take a printed list with you.
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On a similar, but separate note: if you are involved with foodservice on a larger scale – hospital, university, or corporate dining the app mentioned above will be too small for your needs. Commercial food productions systems like C-board, Computrition and VST will do the same things, but give you a greatly enhanced experience with menu planning, portion control/cost and even inventory sheets. Proper purchasing and portion control will help to reduce food waste.
To further identify waste reduction opportunities, you can use a waste tracking system. Either automated (like LeanPath) or manual (paper tracking) will give you the ability to ‘see’ all food items that are being thrown out. Review your tracking reports periodically to identify goals and monitor progress.
