There’s no better feeling than the one you get right before you’re about to leave on holiday. The packing stress is gone, you’ve got everything you need, and the relaxing can begin. Especially after a year and a half during which we couldn’t travel a lot, we’re extra grateful to be able to just jump in the car, on a train, or on a plane and go discover new places. Yet before all of that, you need to prep your house for your absence.
As fun as the actual holiday part is, as boring it is to get ready. If there’s nobody left at home to take care of things, you need to plan a lot in advance. Maybe you’ve got a pet which has got to go to friends or family. Maybe you’ve got an urban jungle for which you have to figure out a watering system. And you surely want to give your house a good old clean, in order to make sure you won’t discover any surprises when coming back. That means scrubbing your shower, emptying the bin, AND taking a look at your refrigerator.
Although some of the things in there might still be good to use upon your return, others definitely won’t. Anything fresh will probably go bad, especially if you’re away for a while and therefore you need to figure out what to do with it. And often, that means a lot of food gets thrown out. According to Too Good To Go, we throw out about 1,8 kilograms before leaving on holiday – or, for the less organized amongst us, when coming back. A real shame and a number we should at least try to get down to a minimum. The app, therefore, shares some tricks to make sure you’re not wasting any good stuff – better for your wallet and for the planet.
Tips and tricks
- Don’t look over it. Put everything that might go bad together on a shelf in your fridge a couple of days before leaving and try to make leftover meals.
- Freeze it. Blanch any leftover veggies and fruit in your fridge and freeze them afterward. That way, you can enjoy them when your return.
- Read the label. When reading the label, read carefully. Sometimes, the date is just a broad indication. Meaning it’s worth the effort to use your senses to see if something is really off or not.
- Treat your neighbors. Too much food to eat up before you go? Make a big batch and treat your neighbors to a lovely homemade meal. Maybe that way, next time you leave you can ask them to water your plants.
