North Americans waste more than 130 billion pounds of food annually. Whenever you throw away food, all the energy that went into its lifetime and/or growth is wasted.
The good news is, avoiding waste is relatively easy with just a few adjustments to our eating habits. If we all mindfully change a few habits, we can significantly reduce that number.
- Eat what you have: Perhaps, in recent months, we’ve all gotten in the habit of making meals with what we have, since going to the grocery store has become a new kind of experience. Try to avoid impulse cravings, and consider looking for a fancy new recipe after you have a mental list of what is already on the shelves. Even do a web search with the name of your available food item plus the word “leftovers”.
- Put some science in it: The coldest parts of a refrigerator are the back and bottom. Placing milk and eggs far back and low down in the fridge ensures they’ll be good past the date on the carton. Condiments and pickles, which are high in natural preservatives, are fine stored in the door. Store berries unwashed until right before you use them to avoid mold, and keep raw food items separated to avoid cross-contamination or bacterial growth.
- Compost: While it’s best to eat everything, we can’t help creating at least some waste. But, put your banana peels and coffee grounds to work in the garden. Other than meat scraps, everything from your table can be safely turned into nutrient-rich garden soil.
- Big Picture: When you’re in the store and you know you’ll be eating something today, choose a product close to its to sell-by date; better than being thrown out by the store.
- Ugly Food: Many fruits and vegetables that aren’t visually appealing are often discarded before reaching the produce aisle. Many stores now sell odd-shaped produce as a brand. Same flavor and cost less. Also consider eating the skins of potatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables. Add a few fancy kitchen tools to your arsenal to turn broccoli and cauliflower stalks into soup fillers, or spiralized to use as a healthy pasta substitute.
- Change your timing: Studies show we tend to eat more of what’s on our plate if we have a meal after exercise or active periods.
- Best by / Expires on: You can still eat food well after its “best before” date. And many expiration dates are not about food safety at all; they are the producers’ suggestions for peak quality. You’ll know, with a simple sniff test, if it’s okay to eat.
BONUS: There are lots of uses for food past its prime — stale bread makes great French toast and grilled cheese sandwiches; wilted veggies won’t change the flavor in soups or stews, and overripe fruit blends well in smoothies.