How a Smart Pantry System Can Help Reduce Food Waste
Food waste rarely comes from people actually choosing to throw food away; it occurs more often during the processes of forgetting or overbuying products. For example, a bag of spinach can be forgotten in the depths of the fridge, or someone could buy a tin of tomatoes simply because they cannot remember if they already have one at home.
How much we buy is not the only issue; the challenge of remembering what we have bought and where it is stored can prove too tedious when we are too busy with work or other aspects of our daily life. A smart pantry system can help alleviate this burden without adding more to a busy individual's to-do list.
Your Kitchen Knows More Than You Think
The average kitchen stores a lot more than people typically think. Ingredients and food are often found tucked behind other items or forgotten about completely once placed in the fridge/freezer.
This can cause problems when someone buys more of an item than they need, or fails to use an item before its use-by date.
Scan It and Carry On
SCANA's core concept is designed to integrate into the current process of unpacking groceries, simply by using a wireless scanner to register the products, rather than having to type in each item.
This means that the system can learn what a person has in their kitchen, based on what they buy and where it is stored. This can help eliminate second guesses or confusion about whether someone already has an item in their kitchen or not.
Reducing Waste Without Complicating Daily Life
While attempting to reduce food waste in the home, it is important not to become obsessed with the management of food or grocery shopping. Sometimes a simple reminder is all someone needs to ensure that food is used before it goes off, or to prevent buying an item when they already have some at home.
Knowing which items need to be used soon can help you plan meals around them and avoid waste. It can also prevent duplicate purchases when everyone in the household knows what is already in stock.
SCANA is designed to integrate into the daily life of the user by making use of existing practices. It also helps a whole household to be on the same page regarding what food they have, through the application that comes with the system.
Shop With What You Already Have in Mind
Being able to know what groceries are already at home is useful for shopping.
A digital pantry management system can help provide a clearer image of what needs to be bought and can help prevent buying more of an item than is necessary for the household. This can also help reduce spending on food, as the system can help ensure that people are using what they already have at home before buying more.
A typical UK family of four throws away around £1,000 of food every year, highlighting the potential for groceries to be going to waste without people realising.
A Smarter Kitchen Starts With Knowing What You Have
The focus of such a system should be on making the best use of the food that is already at home, rather than obsessing over creating a perfect kitchen environment. This can help eliminate duplication of items bought by different people in the household and reduce the likelihood of items being forgotten about and wasted due to being hidden or out of sight.
For households seeking a simpler alternative for managing what groceries they have at home, SCANA provides one solution that is focused on making the best use of available food. Discover more about how SCANA can help by exploring our website.