Wasting food is something that has always been a concern of mine. I think it is because I hate wasting money. I strive to not let food go to waste. Have I succeeded 100% of the time? No, I have not; but in our household, we have significantly reduced the amount of food we throw out.
April 29 is STOP FOOD WASTE DAY.
Interesting Stats
- Approximately 1/3 of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year gets lost or wasted. ONE THIRD!
- In the US, between 30-40% of the food we purchase is wasted. Let’s visualize this amount: say you purchase three bags of groceries at the store, on your way to your car you throw one of these bags in the garbage in the parking lot. This is what the average US household does, 1/3 of our groceries!
- In 2017, the US had 38.1 million tons of food waste.
- Fruits and vegetables plus roots and tubers have the highest waste rates.
- The average family of four throws $1,350 to $2,275 of food away each year.
Benefits of Reducing Food Waste
- Obviously, this will save a family money. It really does not make much sense to buy food, bring it home, put it in the fridge, and a week later throw it in the garbage or compost bin. But I am sorry to say most of us have done this.
- Conserves energy and resources such as preventing the pollution involved in growing, manufacturing, transporting, and selling food. Plus, there is the energy used to haul food waste away and adding it to landfills.
- Depletion of our water supply through commercial farming. It is sad to think of all the water used on crops and then food ends up in the landfill.
Ways to Reduce Food Waste
- Plan – only purchase what you can use or properly store. Plan your meals for the week and make a grocery list. Always check your pantry and fridge to see if you already have the items you need for the week. Here is a free Meal Planner for you.
- Freeze Food – almost any meal can be frozen if you won’t be able to eat the leftovers in a day or two. Frozen leftovers can be great when you are short on time to cook a meal. It can be helpful to have a list or whiteboard listing what leftover meals are in the freezer to quickly know what you have available.
- Stay Organized – a huge reason food is wasted is because of improper storage. Keep foods that should be eaten sooner in the front of the fridge, and it can be helpful to store food in clear airtight containers; glass being the best option.
- Smaller Portions – overloading your plate often results in food being thrown out. Start with small portions, you can always go back for more if you are still hungry. Smaller portions can help you not over eat.
Tips for Stopping Food Waste
- Storage – research the best way to store fruits and vegetables, whether inside or outside the refrigerator. You can dehydrate, freeze, preserve, ferment, or can surplus fruits and vegetables.
- Prep – prepping perishable items soon after shopping is best. Wash, dry, chop, dice, or slice, and place in clear glass containers. You will be more likely to choose healthy snacks if they are ready to eat.
Thrifty Tips
- Check out your fridge first, cook and eat leftovers before buying more. To use up leftovers when the kids were still at home, we would have “menu night”. I would write up a menu listing all the leftovers available, everyone could choose something off the menu. Sometimes it was a competition to get family favorites.
- Produce past its prime can be used in smoothies, soups, stir fries, and casseroles. Stale bread can be made into croutons or breadcrumbs.
I am hoping everyone will take some steps today to reduce food waste. I believe we all should be good stewards with the blessings we have. What steps do you do to cut down on food waste? Did you find this post helpful? I would love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Heather
Sources
- https://rethinkwaste.org/2020/02/how-you-can-stop-food-waste/
- https://stopwastingfoodmovement.org/food-waste/food-waste-facts/
- http://www.endfoodwaste.org/
- https://www.epa.gov/recycle/reducing-wasted-food-home
- https://mashable.com/2015/02/15/food-waste-tips/
- https://www.510families.com/stop-food-waste/
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