6 Ways to Keep Food On Your Plate & Out of Landfills
With the Food Waste Fair coming up this June, the Sanitation Foundation’s blog will feature ways to prevent and reduce food waste.
By: Tessa Rainbolt
Before we dive into this year’s event, we’re getting back to basics with Food Waste 101. Let’s recap why food waste is an issue and what easy changes we can all make to reduce our impact.
Food Waste Facts
First, the facts. According to ReFED, a non-profit working to end food waste, approximately 35% of food produced each year in the U.S is wasted. That’s $408 billion worth of food wasted and 4% of the U.S.’s greenhouse gas emissions.
But there’s a lot more waste hidden beneath those numbers. All of that wasted food also means wasted land to grow that food. Wasted water and fertilizer. Wasted packaging and fuel as it’s transported hundreds and thousands of miles. Wasted energy to refrigerate and store it. Wasted space in garbage trucks and landfills. Plus once it’s in a landfill, food waste releases methane, a greenhouse gas that’s 30x more potent than CO2.
What can you do?
Here’s the “good” news: ReFED calculates that 37% of this waste is generated at the consumer end. Yes — over one-third! Imagine walking out of the grocery store with three bags of food and simply tossing one of them in the trash. That’s essentially what we’re doing on a national scale. The “good” part is that there’s something you can do about it.
Simple behavioral changes can help prevent some of that waste. These six tips may seem obvious, but many of us are guilty of forgetting or overlooking them. Read on to refresh your memory and learn how small changes to your everyday routines can have a valuable impact!
1. Plan out meals
Marco Verch Professional Photographer/Flickr
Raise your hand if you are an over-shopper! Have you ever optimistically bought produce only to see it wither in the fridge? Guilty as charged. Having a list of what you will actually need and use while you shop is the first step in preventing food waste.
2. Store ingredients properly
U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr
Now that you’ve brought home your list of perfectly planned out ingredients, how do you make sure they last until you need them? There is a wealth of resources out there with tips and tricks on this — don’t worry, we’ve compiled some for you below. Quick tip: many vegetables and herbs will last much longer if stored in a little water, and some fruits like bananas will make everything around them ripen faster, so make sure to keep them away from other produce.
3. Save food before it goes bad
Santeri Viinamäki
The freezer is your best friend in the fight against food waste. If you notice that something is going to go bad before you’re able to eat it, freeze it! Surprisingly, most things freeze extremely well — use them later to make soups or casseroles or throw things like lettuce and fruits into your morning smoothies. Another great option is to preserve them. See our tips on how to preserve by pickling in our last blog.
4. Make use of the whole product
Pikist
Many recipes call for peeling vegetables or removing stems and green tops. We’ll let you in on a little secret: oftentimes you don’t have to! Next time, experiment with leaving them on or finding another use for your excess.
At the 2019 Food Waste Fair, the Sanitation Foundation challenged Michelin-starred chefs to create gourmet meals with zero waste. Now, we’re challenging you to try this at home! (Perk: it’s a quarantine activity that anyone can do.) Instead of binging your favorite cooking show, pretend you’re on it. Turn your kitchen into the MasterChef stadium, but instead of buying kooky mystery ingredients, try to use every part of the ingredients you already have.
5. Don’t over-serve
Jbloom/Flickr
Our eyes are often bigger than our stomachs. Underestimate servings and then go back for seconds if needed. #ShametheScrape!
6. Compost
City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
If you do end up with food scraps — and you will — don’t get down on yourself. Instead, compost, compost, compost. There are several organizations still collecting compost all over the City. Check DSNY’s map for drop-off locations and check in with your local community garden to see if they’re accepting donations. Just remember to make sure you only compost items that are accepted.
Now for the “so what?”
You put in the work, but how does it pay off? According to ReFED, reducing food waste by half would save 4 trillion gallons of water per year, reduce GHG emissions by 75 million metric tons per year, and equate to 4 billion saved meals.
That’s no small potatoes.
Ready to tackle food waste on your own? Check out the resources below to get you started, then join us for the 2021 Food Waste Fair this June!
A useful guide to proper storage here
Learn what you can freeze here!
The FDA has an app that tells you how long food really lasts to avoid label confusion.