The average Australian household throws away around $2,000 to $2,500 worth of food every year. That's a lot of money going straight into the bin.

The good news? Most food waste at home is preventable with a few simple habits. Here are 10 practical tips you can start using today.

1. Plan Your Meals for the Week

Before you go shopping, spend five minutes thinking about what you'll eat for the week. Write a list based on those meals and stick to it. You'll buy less, waste less, and spend less.

2. Check What You Already Have

Before heading to the shops, take a quick look in your fridge, freezer, and pantry. It sounds obvious, but most of us have bought duplicates of things we already had at home.

3. Understand Date Labels

There's a big difference between "use by" and "best before":

Use by: This is about safety. Don't eat food past this date.
Best before: This is about quality. Food is usually still perfectly fine to eat after this date. It just might not be at peak freshness.

Learning this distinction alone can prevent a lot of unnecessary waste.

4. Store Food Properly

How you store food makes a big difference in how long it lasts:

Keep herbs in a glass of water in the fridge (like a bouquet).
Store bananas separately from other fruit. They release ethylene gas that speeds up ripening.
Move older items to the front of the fridge so you use them first.
Keep bread in the freezer if you won't finish the loaf in a couple of days.

5. Use Your Freezer More

Your freezer is your best tool against food waste. Almost everything can be frozen:

Leftover cooked meals
Bread, muffins, and bagels
Ripe bananas (perfect for smoothies later)
Fresh herbs in olive oil using an ice cube tray
Meat and fish on the day of purchase

6. Get Creative with Leftovers

Last night's roast chicken becomes today's sandwich or a stir-fry. Stale bread makes great croutons or breadcrumbs. Overripe fruit goes into smoothies or banana bread. Before you throw something out, ask yourself: can this become something else?

7. Serve Smaller Portions

You can always go back for seconds, but you can't un-serve what's already on the plate. Start with smaller portions, especially for kids, and let people ask for more if they're still hungry.

8. Compost What You Can't Eat

Some food waste is unavoidable (banana peels, eggshells, coffee grounds). Instead of sending it to landfill where it produces methane, compost it. Even a small benchtop compost bin makes a difference.

9. Shop More Often, Buy Less

Instead of one big weekly shop where you overbuy, try shopping two or three times a week for smaller amounts. You'll buy what you actually need and waste less.

10. Rescue Surplus Food

Food rescue apps like LastBite let you buy surplus food from local businesses at up to 70% off. You're getting great food at a fraction of the price while helping reduce commercial food waste. It's a win for your wallet and the environment.

Every Bit Counts

You don't need to be perfect. Even adopting two or three of these habits can save you hundreds of dollars a year and keep a significant amount of food out of landfill.

Want to take it further? Join the LastBite waitlist and start rescuing surplus food from local stores near you.

10 Easy Ways to Reduce Food Waste at Home