Did you know that American households produce more food waste than compared to farmers and food processors combined? The USDA estimates 133 billion pounds worth of household food waste and $161 billion in food waste costs. Food waste in landfills creates methane, a flammable gas, by reducing food waste, you can lower your carbon footprint.
Food waste can be due to date label confusion, improper storage solutions, lack of meal planning, and packaging size. In addition to the food we don’t eat on our plate, food waste is also food scraps such as potato peels and apple cores. Prevent falling into the food waste trap by planning ahead. Look into your cupboards to identify foods you already have, determine a meal plan, and a shopping list. In turn, you only buy the food you need, which saves you money when you buy less.
Check out these additional ways to prevent food waste and repurpose what’s in your kitchen:
- Hash: Dice and sauté leftover vegetables, grains, and meat. Top off with an over-easy egg.
- Soup: Toss any leftover vegetables into the blender. Add herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Serve hot or cold.
- Salad: Enhance your salad by adding greens from celery, beets, radishes or carrots.
- Smoothie: Freeze overripe bananas and add to smoothies for a creamy, sweet boost.
- Stock: Keep broccoli stubs, cabbage cores, and peels of vegetables to boil into a stock. Use as a base for soup or instead of water to cook rice and grains.
- Food Bank: Donar healthy and safe foods to local food banks to help people in need.
Support a sustainable way of living when you reduce food waste and conserve resources.
Resources:
- Blake J.S. Turning trash into dinner. Today’s dietitian. https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0919p12.shtml Published September 2019. Accessed October 14, 2019.
- U.S. Food waste Challenge. USDA. https://www.usda.gov/oce/foodwaste/faqs.htm Accessed October 14, 2019.