According to the USDA, up to 40% of food is wasted every year in the United States and the estimated cost of food and beverages thrown out by the average American family annually is around $1,500. Most people don't realize how much food they throw away every day — from uneaten leftovers to spoiled produce.
Here are some budget-friendly actions you can take to reduce food waste, save money, and enjoy delicious, nutritious meals:
• Shop the refrigerator before going to the store. Look in your refrigerator and cupboards first to avoid buying food you already have. Make a weekly list of what needs to be used up.
• Create a meal plan. Now that you know what’s on hand, make a meal plan for the week and write down what ingredients you need to buy. Note the quantity of items needed (i.e., 4 tomatoes, 2 onions, 8 apples) and which coupons you have.
• Look for recipes on websites that can be searched for by ingredients to use up food at home. USDA's "What's Cooking: USDA Mixing Bowl" website (www.whatscooking.fns.usda.gov) offers several tools for searching for recipes with specific ingredients, nutrition themes and meal course.
• Don’t overbuy fresh produce. Even if it’s on sale, you won’t be saving money if you have to throw away fresh fruits and veggies because they go bad. Also, remember that frozen and canned fruits and vegetables have lots of good nutrients and they generally last a long time without spoiling. Plus, they’re great to have on hand when you’re low on funds or don’t feel like heading to the store.
• Use your freezer frequently. Freeze food such as bread, sliced fruit, or meat that you know you won’t be able to eat in time. Prepare and cook perishable items, then freeze them for use throughout the month. For example, bake and freeze chicken breasts or fry and freeze taco meat. Freeze surplus fruits and vegetables - especially abundant seasonal produce.
• Embrace leftovers. Leftover chicken can be mixed with chicken broth, mixed veggies and pasta for an easy soup. Leftover chili can top tortilla chips or a baked potato for quick and easy dinners as well. Save money on lunches out by taking leftovers to work or school. Casseroles, stir-fries, frittatas, soups, and smoothies are great ways to use leftovers too.
• Use before tossing. If safe and healthy, use the edible parts of food that you normally do not eat. For example, stale bread can be used to make croutons, beet tops can be sautéed for a delicious side dish, and vegetable scraps can be made into stock. Fruits and veggies past their prime? They may still be fine for cooking. Think soups, casseroles, stir fries, sauces, baked goods, pancakes or smoothies.
• Check product dates on foods. The United States Department of Agriculture/Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) defines them as:
o A "Sell-By" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.
o A "Best if Used By (or Before)" date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
o A "Use-By" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product. Do not buy or use baby formula after its "use-by" date.
• Donate safe, nutritious food to food banks, food pantries and food rescue programs.
• Support Food Companies that are Reducing Waste. General Mills for example is working to reduce waste in our operations, cutting our total waste by 50 percent by 2030. And along with process improvements, they collaborate with donation partners like Feeding America.
Try these simple back-to-school ideas for reducing food waste:
Banana-Strawberry Smoothie – Overripe fruit? Don’t throw it away… Use in a energizing breakfast smoothie!
Makes 2 servings
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 sliced banana
1 6 oz. Yoplait® Vanilla Yogurt
¼ - ½ cup ice cubes
In a blender, combine strawberries, banana, ice and yogurt; cover and blend until smooth. Pour into 2 large glasses. If desired, garnish with fruit; serve immediately.
This and That Lunchboxes – Creating these fun bento lunch boxes is a great way to use up small amounts of leftover foods.
cOURTESY:
Shari Steinbach, MS RDN, Nutrition & Culinary Consultant