Waste not want not: Tips to Reduce Food Waste

I’m not going to lie: when it comes to left-overs I am hopeless.  I neglect fruit, vegetables, and meals that I’ve cooked, never taking them out of the fridge until they look like they could crawl out themselves.

I am not alone in this: every day Americans waste 40% of the total food that they produce – that’s enough to fill the Rosebowl Stadium! The economic and environmental implications of this wasteful behavior are astounding: food waste is the largest source of solid waste in landfills (14%) and the retail value of avoidable food waste amounts to $197.7 billion every year!

When we consider the fact that 48.9 million Americans live with limited or inadequate access to food, forgetting our milk until it spoils or allowing vegetables to rot becomes a moral issue in addition to an economic and environmental issue.  We waste food while millions waste away without adequate access to food, and that’s an incredibly unsettling reality.  But with some research, discipline, and creativity, we can all lessen our carbon footprint and work towards creating a society where food insecurity is a thing of the past.

Here are a few quick tips to get you started!

• Give your veggies some elbow room! Avoid over-stuffing your vegetable drawer and punch holes in plastic bags to allow air to circulate.  This will help your veggies last longer.
• Lettuce wilted? Let us resurrect it! Saute in olive oil with garlic and shallot for a yummy revitalization of your lettuce.
• Make stock! Save poultry, beef, and ham bones or scraps until you have enough for a big pot of homemade stock.
• Use sour milk for pancakes for any other recipes that call for buttermilk.

Click here for more tips and tricks to reduce food waste!

Want to know more stats about food waste and what a revolutionary Boston non-profit is doing to help?  Visit Lovin’ Spoonfuls website here!

 

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