She’s the first teacher you ever had - showing you right from wrong, guiding you through your first heartbreak and always giving you life lessons, even when you don’t ask for them! And if your mum was anything like ours, she always made sure you cleared you plate and nothing went to waste!
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s the perfect opportunity to showcase mum’s endless wisdom and patience, and what better way to do that, than with a list of things we’ve learned from her over the years? Even better, when you gather to celebrate, make sure everyone practices what she preaches and be part of the fight on food waste.
1. Organize your fridge (and your kitchen)
Mum’s fridge is always as organised as her wardrobe (and the rest of the house). You always know where to find what you need and the essential ingredients never seem to run out.
Beyond making things easier when the hunger pangs strike, organising your kitchen helps you keep track of how much food you have left and, more importantly, what foods are expiring. This helps you plan your next few meals so you can quickly use up those items instead of letting them go to waste.
2. Plan your shopping list
Mum never heads to the supermarket without first making a list, and though she knows a deal when she sees one she doesn’t tend to get distracted when shopping.
Planning your groceries helps to save both time and money, because it prevents overbuying and spur-of-the-moment shopping. You can even take things a step further and time your supermarket trips with the weekly discounts to get the most bang out of your buck - just ask mum for some tips!
3. Take leftovers home
Who says you can’t save money while you’re spending it? Mum knows how to get full value and is never shy about asking for a doggy-bag. She paid for that lunch and just because you didn’t finish doesn’t mean you won’t eat it later.
If you over-ordered or the restaurant’s chef was simply very generous that evening, just ask for a takeaway box to bring your leftovers home. Heating up leftovers definitely saves time in prepping the next meal but you can also put your thinking cap on and get creative to transform leftovers into something entirely different. Mum didn’t necessarily carry a reusable container with her, but maybe you can so you can cut down on plastic and paper waste too.
4. Grow your own garden
Mum always seemed to be trying to grow something and now it’s time to start learning from mum’s green thumbs.
Growing an edible home garden is a wonderful and inexpensive hobby. It livens up the house, helps you destress and is a great way to save money if you’re a fan of fresh produce. If you’re really tight on the pursestrings, ask mum for a few seeds to start you off, and of course, be sure to tap on her experience on how to keep your garden growing strong.
5. Pass on your knowledge
“My mother always said…” Mum didn’t just come up with her own pearls of wisdom, but passed them on from her mum as well.
Be sure to pass on your mum’s knowledge and share these planet-saving tips with your loved ones, or even an online community. Together, we can win the fight against food waste and save one third.
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Do you have any other tips you learned from your mum? Share them with us in the comments below!