How to Prevent Food Waste

Studies show that Americans throw away up to 40% of the food they buy and up to 1/3 of all food produced globally is wasted.  There are many benefits to reducing food waste.  You can save money, reduce methane emission, and if we reduce U.S. food waste by 15% we can feed 25 million.

Here are some tips from a Pittsburgh catering company that can help you cut back on waste:

1. Plan ahead: Before you go shopping, take inventory of what you already have. Try to plan meals to use what is in your cupboards and shop to supplement.  Make a list and stick to it.
2. Shop more often and buy less: No one really enjoys grocery shopping.  However, making smaller trips more often can significantly cut back on waste.  What sounds good on Sunday may not be appealing on Wednesday.  Chances are that the food you purchased for your mid-week meal will sit in your refrigerator until it has to go in the garbage.
3. Store food properly: Proper food storage can prolong the life of your food. Make sure fruits and veggies are dry to prevent rot. Want to slow the ripening process, store them in the refrigerator. On hot, humid summer days, store your bread in the fridge to combat mold.
4. The freezer is your friend: As you may have noticed, when it comes to food, the refrigerator is your friend, but the freezer is your BFF. Leftovers are great, but how many days in a row can you eat that soup? Instead of throwing it in the trash, throw it in the freezer until the urge for soup hits you again.
5. Eat it all: No, I don’t mean you need to eat every morsel off your plate (those should be saved for later consumption). When it comes to foods such as fruit and veggies, we eat only a portion of what can actually be eaten. Veggie tops can be just as delicious and nutritious as the rest.  Sautee those beet greens, chop up the broccoli stems, use carrot greens to make a pesto, pickled watermelon rinds.
6. Understand expiration dates:  Best by and expiration dates are not meant to say throw food away the day after.  These dates are to represent what the manufacture suggests would be peak freshness.  For instance, eggs are good for up to 4 weeks past the expiration date. (test the eggs in a bowl of water, if it floats do not eat it).  Use your senses to determine if food is safe to eat.  If it looks good and smells good you can expect it to taste good.
7. Grow your own herbs: Whether your thumb is green or brown, growing your own herbs is a cinch. Buying fresh herbs is expensive and a lot of the time half of the package is already moldy or rotten. Not to mention finding the herbs at all. Growing things like chives, rosemary, cilantro, and mint take little skill and will boost any meal.  At the end of the season, trim back and dry the herbs for use throughout the year.
8. Composting: If you just couldn’t use all the parts of your veggies, composting is a great alternative to throwing it all in the garbage. Many things can be composted but make sure to do your research before venturing into it.

There are numerous ways to cut back on waste and Use past prime produce for soups, casseroles, sauces, overripe or brown fruit can make great smoothies or jams, donate unwanted food to local food banks or shelters.  Start by implementing a couple of ideas at a time.  It’s all about being conscious and not afraid to try new and different things.