After two years of limited travel, borders around the world have begun to reopen to tourists and many are already taking advantage, either travelling to those cancelled dream holiday destinations or just taking the chance to get a change of scenery! Experiencing a new place is one of life’s joys, but it can make sticking to your sustainable practices tough. Acting on our wanderlust doesn’t have to mean more waste - here are a few tips and tricks that you can incorporate on your next trip to help keep food away from the bin.
Skip the buffet (or at least only take what you can eat!)
Holidays often mean luxurious breakfast buffets, all-you-can-eat dinners and even all-inclusive packages for the duration of your stay. But buffets can be a huge source of food waste. Ordering a la carte is a good way of making sure you control your portions and don’t wind up with service staff collecting plates still covered in food. If you do want to sample lots of different things, try to take small amounts at a time so that you don’t overestimate your appetite or get stuck with a lot of something you don’t like. It can be hard to stay in control when there are so many options, but with a bit of discipline, holiday eating can be delicious without being wasteful.
Store those snacks Pack up small items wherever you go so you always have something on hand for snacking while you’re out and about seeing the sights! Things like bread rolls from your flight, an apple or two from the breakfast buffet or even packaged treats from a hotel welcome pack are perfect. Too often these foods are just tossed away, but by saving them for later you can reduce waste and also save money as you won’t have to fork out every time you get peckish while exploring! You could even carry a small container to pack up leftovers from meals in restaurants - things like sandwiches, cakes or buns and pizza will all still be delicious and easy to eat a few hours later, even if you’re on the move.
Refrigerate and reuse
Refrigerators can be lifesavers on vacation. Not only will they keep your drinks cool on hot days, but they can also store snacks, leftovers and local delicacies. Even the most diligent food waste warrior might pack up some leftovers for snacks and not wind up eating them that day… but the fridge will keep them fresh for tomorrow!
A surefire way to make sure to cut your waste is to prepare your own food instead of relying on restaurants three times a day. Eating like a local and picking up some delicacies from the local market is a great way to experience a city, and even a mini-fridge in a hotel can store enough goodies to prepare a simple breakfast or an afternoon picnic. Staying in a hotel but don’t have an in-room fridge? Sometimes if you ask nicely, hotels will let you refrigerate some items in their refrigerator! Of course, if you stay in an Airbnb or homestay you’d have even more storage and cooking options. Either way, smart use of a fridge will cut your waste but also give you somewhere to safely store treats you want to take home with you!
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