Wasting “food” is more than just wasting less food.  “All waste is not equal.  Some foods represent much more in the way of resources than others, and meat products tend to be among the heaviest resource users.” Dana Gunders.

According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), “an estimated 1.3 billion tons of food, or roughly 30% of global production, is lost or wasted annually. “ The USDA states, “each day in the United States approximately 1 pound of food per person is wasted…or between 30-40 percent of the food supply. The USA also (according to the USDA) uses “15.7% of the total energy budget, 50% of all land and 80% of all freshwater consumed.  Yet there is 20 billion pounds of produce lost on farms every year.” Cosmetic imperfections aka “ugly produce” is a significant source of food waste. Dana Gunders believes it could be as much as 40% of the produce.

Tossing out a bunch of carrots verses a chunk of red meat has a different impact.  Dana recommends starting with less meat products in our diets.  Meatless Mondays are now popular in many organizations.  Can you adopt this practice at home?  Last week I touched on the idea of shopping with a list and using restraint with impulse purchases.  Below is Dana’s guide to thinking about food waste in our homes. This week I challenge you to think about this hierarchy as you shop, fill your pantry, freezer, and refrigerator. 

Here are a few tips on how can we manage food waste effectively?

1.      Store Food Correctly.   Improper storage leads to a massive amount of food waste. Use clear glass.

2.      Learn to preserve. Pickling, drying, canning, fermenting, freezing and curing are all methods you can use to make food last longer, thus reducing waste.

3.      Don’t be a perfectionist.  The consumer demand for flawless fruits and vegetables has led major grocery chains to buy only picture-perfect produce from farmers. This leads to tons of perfectly good food going to waste.  It’s such a big issue that major grocery chains like Walmart and Whole Foods have started offering “ugly” fruits and vegetables at a discount in an attempt to reduce waste.

4.      Use the FIFO method. A good way to stock your fridge is by using the FIFO method, which stands for “first in, first out.” Keep your fridge clutter free. Help avoid food spoilage by keeping your fridge organized so you can clearly see foods and know when they were purchased.

5.      Love plan-overs!  Cook once and eat twice!  Put the third serving in the freezer!  It helps reduce energy by planning a meal that can be served on two different days and utilizes food verses calling them left-overs that get forgotten in the frig. It’s a great way to ensure you always have a healthy, home-cooked meal available.

6.      Eat the skin.  This is a shame, because so many nutrients are located in the outer layer of produce and in poultry skin. For example, apple skins contain a large amount of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Chicken skin is packed with nutrients as well, including vitamin A, B vitamins, protein and healthy fats. What’s more, chicken skin is an amazing source of the antioxidant selenium, which helps combat inflammation in the body. These benefits are not limited to chicken and apple skin. The outer layers of potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, mangoes, kiwis and eggplants are also edible and nutritious.

7.      Blend it up! While the stems, ends and peels of produce may not be appetizing in their whole form, adding them to a smoothie is a way to reap their many benefits.

8.      Make the freezer your friend.  Freezing food is easy! For example, greens that are a bit too soft to be used in your favorite salad can be put in freezer-safe bags or containers and used at a later date in smoothies and other recipes like veggie soup. An excess of herbs can be combined with olive oil and chopped garlic, then frozen in ice cube trays for a handy and delicious addition to sautés and other dishes.

9.      Pack your lunch.  Although going out to lunch with coworkers or grabbing a meal from your favorite restaurant may be enjoyable, it is also costly and can contribute to food waste. A helpful way to save money while reducing your carbon footprint is to bring your lunch to work with you.

10.  Don’t toss the grounds. Coffee grounds make a fantastic natural mosquito repellent. In fact, research has shown that sprinkling spent coffee grounds in grassy areas deters female mosquitos from laying eggs, reducing the population of these pesky insect.

Sources:

·         EPA US Environmental Protection Agency https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/united-states-2030-food-loss-and-waste-reduction-goal

·         Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States http://www.fao.org/save-food/resources/keyfindings/en/

·         University of Arizona – Shop More, Buy less: A qualitative investigation into consumer decisions that lead to food waste in U.S. households. https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/332880

·         Natural Resources Defense Council. How America is losing up to 40% of its food from farm to fork to landfill. By Dana Gunders. https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/wasted-food-IP.pdf

·         Nutritional Data https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/poultry-products/658/2

·         US National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3277928/

·         United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) August 25, 2020

·         UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) October 31st, 2014.

·         Gunders, Dana. “Wasted: How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill.” Natural Resources Defense Council, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2019, from https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/wasted-2017-report.pdf