Reducing Food Waste

Did you know that between 30 and 40 percent of the food produced in the United States is wasted each year? It impacts our food security, resources and the climate. It is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s goal to reduce food waste 50 percent by 2030 and you can help.

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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A Proposed Solution to Confusing “Use By” Dates

We’ve all done it: tossed an “expired” package of deli meat or a half-used gallon of milk past its “use by” date. But are these foods really spoiled or are we simply throwing away money? The USDA, which determines food labeling standards, is beginning to realize the confusion these labels can cause among 90 percent of consumers, and the role labeling plays in the $29 billion worth of food wasted at the consumer level each year.

It’s easy to get confused when terms like “use by” and “best before” sound similar, especially when there isn’t a uniform system required by food companies and labeling laws vary from state to state. In reality, product dating actually indicates a food’s peak quality— not safety. In fact, many foods can surpass these dates by weeks or even months if stored properly.

So, what is the solution to this confusion? Thankfully, the Food Date Labeling Act of 2016 has recently been presented to Congress and is aimed at establishing requirements for food quality and safety dating. The Act suggests the introduction of a voluntary “quality date” and uniform “safety date” on all ready-to-eat foods. The suggested phrases include “best if used by” for the quality date, and “expires on” for the safety date. The Act will also require that consumer education and outreach begin no later than one year after the implementation of the new food labels.

Bottom Line: The inaccurate food date labeling we currently have in place in the U.S. causes a substantial amount of confusion and an unnecessary amount of food waste each year. For more information on food product dating and food storage recommendations, check out the USDA website. If you want to contact your elected representative to support food quality versus safety labeling changes, you can find them here.

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Fire Up Food Safety

As we head into a holiday weekend, many are preparing to fire up the grill and enjoy outdoor dining with friends and family. Keep your loved ones safe from foodborne illness with a few simple guidelines from the USDA.

Thaw Safely

Completely thaw meat or poultry before grilling so it cooks more evenly. Use the refrigerator for slow thawing or thaw sealed packages in cold water. Thaw food using the microwave only if the food will be placed immediately on the grill.

Transport and Store Safely

Keep food cold when transporting to another location to minimize bacterial growth; use a cooler with ice packs to keep the food at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.  Keep meat and poultry cold until it is ready to use.

Store perishable fruits and vegetables in a cooler to keep them at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Bag fresh fruits and vegetable separately from meat, poultry and seafood.

Keep it Clean

Thoroughly clean utensils and platters. To prevent foodborne illness, do not use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry.

Prepare Safely

Wash your hands before handling produce and then wash all produce thoroughly before eating.

Cook Thoroughly

Cook all raw animal products to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria. Browning on the outside does not mean the food is safe to eat; use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature.

Adhere to Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures

• Whole poultry, poultry breasts and ground poultry: 165 degree Fahrenheit
• Ground meats: 160 degree Fahrenheit
• Beef, pork, lamb: 145 degrees Fahrenheit and allow to rest at least three minutes

Store Leftovers:

Don’t let food sit out for more than two hours, and on a hot day of 90 degrees or higher, don’t let food sit out more than one hour as bacteria can multiply quickly on food left out in warm weather. Store leftovers in a refrigerator or cooler.

Bottom Line: The holiday weekend is a time to enjoy friends and family, don’t waste a second of the festivities feeling ill. Promote food safety with these simple guidelines to have a healthy and happy holiday weekend. 

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