One of my biggest pet peeves is wasting food. Even before groceries spiked to record highs, wasting food was something I vowed not to do. Now my attention to what’s in the fridge is even greater, given the cost to feed my family.
This started with baby milk — pouring any of it down the drain just pained me. It continued when my kids were little, and they would barely touch their dinner. I simply hate the thought of throwing perfectly good food away. Most nights, we make enough dinner for leftovers, and 90% of the time they do not go to waste. Yet, still, we empty the fridge every few weeks with food that never saw the light of day despite my reminders to the family to eat something that’s going to go bad before opening something new.
The reality is, the scale of food waste is staggering, and solving it starts right in our own kitchens. Globally, about one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. This isn’t just about “missing out” on a meal. When we throw away food, we are also tossing hard-earned money into landfills.
READ: The Cold, Hard Truth About Food Deserts
The good news? Unlike many global issues, this is one where your behavior can make an impact. Here are a few ways to waste less food:
- Take inventory. Before heading to the store, check what you already have. It sounds simple, but it prevents “duplicate buying” that often leads to spoilage.
- Eat ugly produce. Don’t shy away from the misshapen apple or the slightly bruised orange. These items are perfectly nutritious but are often rejected by stores for not meeting “cosmetic standards.”
- Understand date labels. Many people toss food as soon as it hits the “Best By” date. In reality, these dates are often guidelines for quality, not safety. Trust your senses (and maybe a quick sniff test) before tossing it.
- The “use it up” shelf. Designate a specific spot in your fridge for items that need to be eaten soon. This makes it the first place you look when you’re hungry. We do this, and it actually works. Until I see less on the shelf, we aren’t cooking full meals.
- Get creative with scraps. I am not great at this one, but wilting fruits and veggies can be good in shakes and smoothies, and stocks and soups.
