Quick! What was the last food item you threw away? If you think about it, you might realized that it is a lot more than you think.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation's Food and Farm Facts, Americans throw away about 25% of the food they bring home every month.
And 40% of all food grown and produced in the U.S. is never eaten. This includes food lost at the farm, food spoiled at the grocery store, leftovers on plates at restaurants and food thrown out in the trash at home and school.
If you think that sounds like a lot, you're right. And we have a few tips on how you can curb some of that waste. Start today!
- Only take as much food as you can eat. Start with small portions and take more if you're still hungry.
- Pledge to eat fresh fruits and vegetables before they spoil.
- Donate food or volunteer at a local food bank or pantry.
- Participate in or start a school food waste reduction plan.
Here are a couple of other ideas for those of you doing the food prep at home:
- Plan ahead: if you are cooking a roast or a whole chicken, consider freezing leftover meat in labeled containers and reheat the meat for a similar meal a few weeks later, or use the meat in a soup, or some other family favorite.
- And speaking of soup: Find your leftovers. Throw them in a pot with enough broth to cover them and reheat until everything is hot. This could include meat, vegetables, noodles, rice, you name it. Get creative! Add some spices to ramp up the flavor quotient!
- Freeze unused fruits and vegetables: Making smoothies with leftover, frozen fruits and vegetables is a great way to get a nutritional boost. Just place the items in labeled zipper freezer bags for easy access any time.