Food waste grows without stopping year after year around the world - just this week the NGO WWF has published a new report that warns that 40% of the food grown is thrown away - so any action that serves to remedy it, no matter how small whatever, it is welcome.
As an individual, it is possible to do our part, for example, by thinking carefully about the shopping list or by calculating as accurately as possible the amount of food we need. This applies to any food, such as pasta and rice, of which we usually cook more than necessary.
Furthermore, in the case of rice there is another added disadvantage. If we cook too much and preserve and reuse it in an inappropriate way, it can even be dangerous for our health. When cold or reheated, this food contains Bacillus cereus, a bacteria capable of causing everything from diarrhea, nausea and belly pain to other more serious ailments, in the case of immunosuppressed people, young children and pregnant women.
Thus, whether trying to reduce food waste or avoid encountering Bacillus cereus, it is best not to follow the saying "more than enough is better than less" and try to balance quantities. And even more so if it is as simple as following the trick that we explain below to calculate the exact portion of rice per person:
If the main dish will be rice, we must calculate that 100 grams per person will be enough, while if it is only a side dish, we can reduce it by half, that is, to 50 grams per head.
Once we are clear about the measurements, we can do two things: use a container with a measure or a conventional glass. The latter usually has a capacity of 200-250 ml, therefore, if we fill it halfway with rice, we will have one serving.
If we do not have a glass or cup on hand (although this is not usually the case) we can measure the amount by handfuls. Two handfuls are equivalent to one serving, although it can vary, because it will also depend on how big or small our hands are.
For couscous we can use the same measurements, as with macaroni or other pastas of similar size. In the case of spaghetti, with which we cannot use glasses or hands, it will be enough to join the index finger with the thumb: the circle they form is equivalent to one serving, and you will only need to fill it with the spaghetti.
