Thursday, September 8, 2016

Tips for Reducing Food Waste

The United States wastes $218 billion dollars in food each year. This not only negatively impacts our budgets and the environment, but wasted food could also be used to feed the millions of Americans who go hungry every day.

Check out the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) helpful tips, which consumers can use to reduce food waste at home:

1)  Plan meals for the week and stick to your list when grocery shopping. It’s helpful to print out a calendar and keep in mind any social commitments centered around meals you have planned.
2)  “Shop” in your refrigerator or freezer first. There are plenty of websites and apps you can use to make meals with ingredients you already have at home, such as Supercook.com. There are also resources, such as StillTasty.com, that will give you tips on proper food storage and even tell you if the food you have is still safe to eat.
3)  Although buying bulk might save money, remember that spoiled food is like throwing those savings out. Buy only what you will realistically use and remember to take advantage of your freezer. Nuts, meats and berries store well in freezers for up to a year.
4)  Scraps or “imperfect” produce can be used to make stocks, soups, smoothies or salsas without anyone noticing a difference. Stale bread can be used to make croutons and leftovers can be used to make a casserole. Don’t be afraid to keep an open mind and have fun with your creativity.

Bottom Line: Try your hand in reducing food waste at home and you’ll not only see major savings in your wallet, but you’ll feel better about supporting the environment and community. Click here to read more helpful tips from the EPA on how to reduce food waste.


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