Did you know that up to 40% of the food in the landfill is actually edible? Food in the landfill contributes to extensive environmental, economic, and societal impacts. Planning, prepping, and storing food for the week can help your household waste less food. By simply making a list with weekly meals in mind, you can save money and time and eat healthier food. If you buy no more than what you expect to use, you will be more likely to keep it fresh and use it all.

You can also avoid wasting by properly storing foods. (Did you know that bananas and apples don’t make good neighbors? Or that asparagus like to be stored like fresh cut flowers?) Also be sure to eat those leftovers you brought home from the restaurant before they become scientific experiments in the back of your fridge. If you have fruits and veggies that are a bit past their prime, toss them in a blender with a little local honey, some oat milk, and voila – a nutritious, delicious smoothie!

Click here for a comprehensive list on how to store produce to prolong freshness and eat-ability!

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PREVENTING FOOD WASTE…

Saves Money

Wasting food is expensive. Every year, Americans lose more than $218 billion on wasted food equating to around $1,500 worth of food annually. Households are responsible for the most wasted food. If we begin to reduce and prevent food waste, we can save that money that is wasted on spoiled food.

Protects the Environment

Reducing food waste is the #1 personal action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while safeguarding critical natural resources. When food is wasted, it goes into a landfill. Once in a landfill, food waste breaks down and emits greenhouse gasses, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Methane is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide, making it more damaging to the environment. If we reduce food waste, we could save the environment from this damage.

Reduces Hunger

In the US, approximately 40% of all food grown and produced is never eaten. That’s a lot of food wasted that could go to people that don’t have access to food. 1 in 7 people lack consistent access to nutritious food, while up to 3 million tons of wasted food goes to landfills annually. Recovered food provides an additional source of nutritious food.

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