2026 starts in the kitchen: 7 simple ways to waste less

New year, same kitchen. And that’s a good thing. Being more sustainable in 2026 is not about changing everything, buying new gadgets or living on sprouted seeds. It’s about making better use of what already comes into the house, cooking more thoughtfully and wasting less food.

The kitchen remains the place where it’s easiest to make a difference. Not because we have more time, but because everything counts there: what we buy, how we store it, what we cook and what ends up (or doesn’t end up) in the bin.

Today, we’re sharing practical tips, designed for real kitchens, fridges full of containers without the right lids and vegetables that have seen better days.

1. Stress-free planning starts in the fridge

Before thinking about what to cook, the first step is simple: open the fridge and really look. Forgotten vegetables in the drawer, half an onion wrapped in aluminium foil, leftover rice pushed to the back — all of this is a starting point, not a problem.

Instead of planning perfect meals, plan reuses. A tray of roasted vegetables can cover two or three days. Today it’s a side dish, tomorrow it goes into pasta, the next day it becomes soup. Sustainability starts when we stop cooking everything from scratch every time.

2. Buy seasonal produce and save the planet — and your budget

Seasonal fruit and vegetables are tastier and travel fewer unnecessary miles. And, as you know, that’s exactly what we stand for at Equal Food. 

In winter, choosing citrus fruits, cabbages, carrots, leeks, pumpkin and sweet potatoes makes perfect sense. They also last longer at home. And that alone already reduces waste. When food holds up better in the fridge, there’s less racing against the clock to “use it before it goes bad”.

3. Imperfect doesn’t mean unusable

A bruised tomato, a crooked courgette or a spotted apple are not signs of the end. Most of the time, they’re just not “Instagrammable”.

In the kitchen, no one sees the shape of a vegetable once it goes into the oven or the pot. What matters is flavour — and that’s still there. Using imperfect produce is one of the simplest ways to reduce waste without changing habits.

4. Using everything takes less effort than it seems

Peels, stalks and leaves don’t have to go straight into the bin. Many of them still have flavour and texture to give. Kale and broccoli stalks work well in stir-fries and rice dishes. Well-washed peels can go into homemade stocks. Carrot and beet greens easily turn into a quick pesto.

The more you cook this way, the more natural it becomes — and the less you throw away without thinking.

5. Freezing is an underrated superpower

The freezer is a great ally for household sustainability. Overripe fruit can be chopped and frozen for smoothies. Leftover soup prevents last-minute, less mindful meals. Herbs, chopped onion, leftover rice or cooked beans get a second life weeks later. Freezing isn’t giving up on food — it’s buying time.

6. Cooking simply is cooking better

Sustainability also means fewer complicated recipes and more honest food. Simple dishes with few ingredients help you use everything to the end and reduce waste.

A base of vegetables, a legume and a grain can solve many meals. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel every time. Repeating dishes with small variations is an effective strategy to avoid forgotten leftovers.

7. Eating better doesn’t mean eating less