Eat What you Buy
Don’t let good food go to waste! There are lots of tasty meals that can be prepared using leftovers, vegetable pieces, and ripe fruit. Not only that, but think of all the time and money you’ll save throughout the week!
Here are some helpful tips:
Use it Up Many people struggle with the idea that eating leftovers means eating the same thing over and over again. But that’s not the case; think of your leftovers as “ingredients” that can be transformed into delicious meals. For example, use extra pasta or cooked veggies in a frittata or a casserole. Use leftover rice to make a rice and bean salad. Also, soups and smoothies are perfect ways to use fruits and vegetables that need to be eaten soon.
Think Small Store leftovers in small containers and have them for lunch the next day.
Eat Me First Keep an “Eat Me First” box in the refrigerator to store food that needs to be eaten soon. We’re all too familiar with those chunks of tomatoes or ends of cucumbers left after preparing a nice garden salad, right? Worst of all, they tend to hide in little dark corners of our refrigerator, only to be found when they’re too mushy to use. How can we prevent all these bits and pieces of fruits and veggies from going to waste? Easy, just place a small “Eat Me First” box in your refrigerator and store leftover pieces of fruits and vegetables and use them at a later time. Make sure you store the food in small transparent container or in zip-seal bags and place them in your “Eat Me First” box. Next time you prepare a meal, make sure you look through your “Eat Me First” box before reaching for that whole veggie.
Storage System Implement a storage system that helps you rotate food (depending on its freshness). Take a quick inventory of your pantry, refrigerator and freezer before heading to the grocery store. This will prevent you from purchasing food you already have at home. Another great way to keep food from spoiling is to move all the old items forward and store new items towards the back. This system works well for food stored in your refrigerator, freezer, and even for your spice and herb cabinet, allowing you to constantly rotate the food in your cupboards so it doesn’t go to waste.
Leftovers Night When making your meal plan, designate one day of the week as your “leftovers night”.
Be the Change: Save the Food
What if I told you that you can reduce the amount of food wasted and save on groceries and garbage? Sound pretty good, right? We have the power to make real changes in our community by simply implementing food waste prevention strategies in our kitchens. Start today by taking the
Save the Food Pledge and encourage others to do the same!
Special thanks to the Natural Resources Defense Council, EPA, and West Coast Climate and Material Management Forum for statistics and resources.
