Hello everybody! You guys are always asking for more tips about sustainable zero waste grocery shopping, so I thought I would dedicate an entire post to one of my most important points. Whether you shop at a farmers’ market or you make your purchases at a supermarket chain, this is something you can have in mind.
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Choosing “ugly” veg: I always go for the ugliest fruit and vegetables whenever I am out shopping, most of the time the products are completely fine and edible. The advertisements and representation of the products, like fruit and veg, have a cognitive effect on how consumers perceive these products. Meaning when pictures of straight and long cucumbers, most people will automatically pick the long and straight cucumber as well. As a result, most curved or short cucumbers will be thrown away. (Many are even thrown away before reaching the store because the farmers and the stores know that they cannot sell them) Thereby, if we choose the ugliest fruit and veg we can change this wasteful aesthetic selection of products.
also watch: easy vegan meals // low waste & healthy
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Choosing single veg: This cognitive selection is not uncommon and many grocery stores deliberately remove (meaning throw out) products that do not match the expected aesthetic. Another thing you can do is pick the single bananas, tomatoes (and everything else that comes in bunches). The reason is the exact same: because we have been shown that tomatoes or bananas come in bunches, we exclude the products that have fallen off a bunch. As a result of these products, although perfectly edible, will also be thrown away by the end of the day. By choosing the lonely fruits and vegetables before buying a bunch, you are saving those products from being wasted.
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