Reduce Your Food Waste this Holiday Season!
During this merry season, you can reduce food waste with these simple tips before, during, and after your holiday gatherings.
SHOP TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE
Before you head to the store…
- Shop your kitchen. Inventory which food items you already have in the refrigerator and pantry to avoid buying duplicates.
- Make a list. What meals or dishes do you plan to make this week? Identify which ingredients you will need and add them to the list.
- Looking for list-making resources? Check out the many available grocery list phone apps, such as AnyList, Mealime, or OurGroceries. If you prefer a paper list, check out this shopping list template.
- Eat a snack or meal. It is important to avoid grocery shopping when hungry as you are more susceptible to impulse purchases and over-buying.
Once at the store…
- Think realistically about items on sale, such as “10 for $5”. It may seem like a tempting deal, but will you actually be able to consume ten? If not, you could end up with food waste, which results in money wasted.
- Control quantity. To have better control of quantity when purchasing produce items, opt for unpackaged fresh fruits and vegetables. (Added climate benefit: you reduce packaging, too!)
CREATIVE WAYS TO KEEP YOUR FOOD FRESH
Milk:
- Avoid placing milk in your fridge door, as the frequent temperature fluctuation from opening the fridge can make the milk go bad faster.
- Did you know that milk is safe to consume for a week past its expiration date (as long as it has been properly refrigerated)? Your “Expired” Milk Still Has So Much More to Give.
- Not sure how to tell if milk is just a little sour or if it is spoiled? Check out this resource to learn more. Sour vs. Spoiled Milk
- Slightly sour milk can be used as a substitute for buttermilk in cooking such items as Sour Milk Pancakes or Sour Milk Biscuits!
- Whole milk can be used to make ricotta cheese. Learn how with Emily from Table to Table.
Cheese:
Store cheese in a colder area of your fridge in a breathable wrap, such as wax paper, which prevents molding.
Bread:
- Freeze bread that you will not use right away.
- Got stale bread? Make croutons, French toast, bread pudding, stuffing, and more with stale bread. Here are a few sources for recipes:
Get to know your fridge:
- Organize food to help you keep track of food that needs to be eaten soon. Use this “Eat Me First” sign to dedicate a section in your fridge for food that is about to go bad and needs to be eaten first.
- Mark opened food containers and leftovers with a date of when it was opened or prepared to help keep track of how soon items need to be used up.
- Be intentional and efficient when you open the fridge door, and make sure it is completely closed when you’re done perusing the fridge. This reduces how much cold air escapes, which means less energy demand to re-cool the fridge.
For more great food waste reduction tips, visit www.icgov.org/lovefood.
