Tips to Reduce Waste:
-Make a plan before you go to the grocery store: Know what you have in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Plan meals that will use up items you already have and only purchase what you need for the remainder of the week.
-Learn the best way to store food: Some fruits and vegetables stay fresher at room temperature; others are better off in the refrigerator. Fruits and vegetables such as bananas, apples and tomatoes give off natural gases that accelerate the spoilage of other vegetables, so keep them separate. For more tips on how to store produce, click here.
-Utilize your freezer: Freeze items you won’t be using right away such as meats, fruits and vegetables. Prepare, cook and freeze meals that you can heat up in the future to save time.
-Compost: Rather than throwing away fruits, vegetables and even coffee grounds, combine them with dead leaves, twigs and water to make a nutrient rich fertilizer for your plants and gardens. To learn how to compost at home, visit: www.epa.gov. If you do not want to take on composting yourself, many companies across the country offer composting services.
Understanding Dates:
There is no federally regulated system to date labeling in the United States, which leads to a great deal of confusion and waste for consumers. These are some typical phrases used to date foods and what they mean:
“Sell-by” date: An indication for the store of how long to display the product for -- not an indication of safety.
“Best used-by” date: An indication of best quality of the product -- not an indication of safety.
“Use-by” date: An indication that using it after this date would be unsafe.
Bottom Line: There are many ways we can reduce the amount of food waste in the U.S. each year. By simply planning better or composting food scraps, we can help the USDA reach its goal by 2030.
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