Electrolux Malaysia’s #myhappyplate initiative, recently came to end on an incredibly successful note. Thanks to the efforts of over 12,000 Malaysians in reducing food wastage, Electrolux will sponsor 1,000 food bundles for underprivileged families in need.

The campaign saw Malaysians pledging to reduce their food waste and minimize carbon footprint. Thousands of people shared photos of their ‘happy’ and empty plates on social media.

The food bundles that are being sponsored will contain essential, non-perishable food items like rice, milk powder, and oil. The bundles will be distributed over the next 3-months with the help of Electrolux Malaysia’s partner charity organizations GT Community Care Services and Life-Care Community Services.

As part of the campaign, Electrolux Malaysia teamed up with renowned consultant dietitian Indra Balaratnam to develop nutritious and healthy recipes made with leftovers. These recipes were then shared with the public in cooking classes where participants learned to reduce their food wastage and make the most out of their leftover food.

I was given the privilege of attending one of those classes where I learned from Indra, that not only is turning your leftovers into something new incredibly delicious, but reducing the amount of food we waste is as easy as taking these 3-steps:

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1.Plan

Planning starts quite simply with planning what to eat. Plan your meals for the entire week and create a shopping list of ingredients you need for those meals. Buy only what you need, so always check every nook and cranny of your kitchen to see what you already have. And although it may be tempting to buy products on promotion, only do so I you are sure you can use them, or they will end up in the back of the cabinet and forgotten.

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2. Store

Storage is about ‘how,’ ‘where,’ and ‘when.’ Store perishable food in clear containers so you can see them. Also store fruits and vegetables properly like in the crisper drawer of your fridge to avoid them going bad too quickly. Store left over, cooked food in the fridge for up to 3 days, and up to 3 months in the freezer. Most importantly, practice ‘First In, First Out’ – whatever food item was stored first, should also be eaten first, and not pushed to the back of the fridge.

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3. Control

Quite simply – Don’t Be A Glutton! Do not fill your plate with more food than you can eat; as hungry as you may be, know your limits. Furthermore, you could practice assembling a healthy plate – fill ¼ of your plate with carbohydrates, ¼ of it with protein and ½ of it with vegetables. And finally, make use of your leftovers; pack them for school or work the next day, or turn them into something new to eat.

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For more tips on reducing wastage, and to learn more about the #myhappyplate campaign, visit the official Electrolux Malaysia Facebook page.