People rarely talk about the foods they toss out, yet the topic of food waste is getting a lot more attention these days. It’s estimated that Americans throw away billions of pounds of food each year, either at home or when eating out.
Not all food that is wasted can be saved and eaten, but a lot of food waste can be prevented, especially at home. A good place to start is your kitchen. Here are a few tips that will help.
- Plan meals based on the foods you already have on hand.
- Get creative with leftovers.
- Transform meals into soups, salads, or sandwiches by cutting up leftover veggies and cooked meats.
- Eat as a leftover meal later in the week.
- Master the shelf life of foods.
- Many foods and drinks purchased at the grocery store include a date, which indicates when they should be used or sold.
- Practice good food safety.
- Don’t risk eating or drinking anything that you suspect has spoiled.Eat leftovers within 3 or 4 days (or freeze for up to 3 to 4 months)Place foods that could spoil quickly within sight, such as in front of the fridge.
- Learn which fruits and veggies to store in the fridge/counter.
Source: https://www.epa.gov/recycle/preventing-wasted-food-home
Photo by Ron Lach
