Whatever your skill level in the kitchen, some amount of food waste is inevitable. Make sure you have a plan to keep those food scraps out of the trash—either composting at home, feeding to backyard chickens, bringing it to the food scrap bins at local transfer stations or drop-offs or using curbside pickup from a local food scrap hauler.
Reduce waste by buying, cooking, and serving the right amounts, whether it’s for your family or a party. Giving guests smaller plates helps reduce waste as people can always go back for seconds. And again, if you find yourself with leftovers, don’t forget about your freezer.
For more tips and inspiration, visit Savethefood.com.
This strategy revolves around creativity in the kitchen. Instead of starting with recipes and heading to the store for what you need, cook with ingredients you already have or use recipes just as a starting point. It’s helpful to have a few “hero” or “kitchen sink” recipes or sauces that taste good with lots of different ingredients.
Some common favorites are:
When you get home from shopping, store foods for maximum freshness. Learn which fruits and vegetables last longer inside or outside the fridge. For example, avocados and tomatoes are best stored outside the fridge, but once they’re ripe put them in the fridge to make them last longer. Most nuts and grains last longer stored in the fridge, not the pantry.
Learn more at Save the Food’s Storage Directory.
» Plan your meals in advance to reduce food waste. This doesn’t have to be specific recipes, but a general list of meals so you don’t overbuy. Think about what you’re doing the following week and then plan meals around the time or energy you’ll have to cook. Do you eat out often? If so, don’t buy as many groceries. And don’t go to the grocery store hungry! It’s true, you’ll buy more food than you need.
