10 Steps to Stop Food Waste
Donna Hayek, RD
(40% of the food produced in America is wasted)
- Make a shopping list: Plan ahead so you can buy only what you need for weekly meals.
- Store more foods in the freezer: This will allow the week’s leftovers to last longer.
- Save water: Fun Fact: Wasting a pound of beef is the same as running water for 370 minutes! The longer meat is left out at room temperature, the quicker it will go bad. When shopping, pick these foods out last so they will be the first ones to be put away when arriving home.
- Help wilted vegetables come back to life: Soak them in ice water for 5-10 minutes. If this does not work, you can use them in cooked dishes rather than raw dishes.
- Overcooked vegetables: These can be put into soups or sauces by blending them with other foods, rather than tossing them into the garbage.
- How to properly freeze foods: Always make sure the air is out of the bag before freezing. This ensures that there will be less freezer burn.
- What to do with ripe bananas: They can still be eaten or used for banana bread or smoothies.
- How to properly train children to try new foods: Have them taste a small amount, because if they don’t like it, a small amount could be thrown away than a large amount. If they like the food, then they can have a bigger piece.
- Use all food from the store weekly: Like above, try different ways of cooking food before tossing it into the garbage too soon.
- Get creative: This is where making a list is helpful. Only buy what is needed each week.
