A small amount of effort will make a big difference. Store food a little differently to make it last longer. Use up the food already in the kitchen. Make a grocery list with meals in mind. Doing so can save a family of four $1,600 per year, improve your health, prevent waste, and reduce climate impacts. Use these food saving resources to help you make the most of your food and budget.
Wasted food has profound financial, social, and environmental impacts. Explore food saving tips, tricks and recipes.
Wasted food also wastes the energy and water used to create it, and the fuel and money used to bring it from the farm to your table. Rotting food in our landfills creates methane gas, a powerful greenhouse gas. Preventing food waste is one of the easiest ways we can make an impact to reduce climate change.
Plan meals so you know what you need from the store, and take the stress out of meal prep time trying to figure out what to make. Make a list of the ingredients you need, and shop your fridge and pantry first to see what you already have. If you’re hosting a dinner or party and are not sure how much to buy, try a food planning calculator like this Party Planner from Whole Foods, or this Thanksgiving dinner calculator.
Stick to your list! Avoid those impulses. It’s not a bargain if it will go bad before you can enjoy it, and you’re less likely to throw out food if you already have a plan to use it.
Prep foods shortly after bringing them home. Things like crudité and melons are more likely to be grabbed as snacks if they’re ready to go. Having prepped ingredients makes it easy to make healthy, tasty meals on a busy work night.
Use the tips above, and don’t forget your freezer! When you make a batch of sauce or a big pot of soup (an excellent way to use things up), store it in serving-sized containers for quick meals on the go.Freeze items on the verge, freeze leftovers, and note the contents and date on the container.
Have a place in the refrigerator for “EAT FIRST” foods. Have a “leftovers” night, or challenge yourself to be creative with items you need to use up.Pasta, frittata, casserole, salad, burrito/wrap and stir-fry preparations are easy and often inexpensive ways to incorporate various ingredients for a satisfying and tasty meal. If you find yourself with ingredients that you aren’t sure how to prepare, try a handy app like Handpick or others that provide recipes based on ingredients.Or check for great recipes from Jamie Oliver and from other famous chefs on Food Network’s website.
Order too much food, have a bumper crop this year, or just make too much? Keep it out of the landfill, and fill a need instead. Thanks to the Good Samaritan Act of California, businesses, restaurants, and good faith donors can now donate unused food to local food banks, nonprofit organizations, or directly to individuals without liability. Contact a food bank near you: https://www.frankenthalerfoundation.org
Matching those with surplus food to people in need
Create compost to get the most out of remaining food scraps and create nourishing soil amendment for your yard, plants or garden.Home composting is even possible in small spaces with the use of worms – called vermicomposting. Composting may be available through curbside waste and recycling services. Ask your city or hauler.
