
Rethink & revive your food
Those Brussels sprouts look wilty. That bread is crusty and stale. They can’t be good to eat, right? Think before you toss. There may be a way to revive that day-old veggie or bread into a tasty dish.
Monthly Topic Overview
Bread, fruit, and vegetables are just a few food categories at risk of getting wasted when items appear stale, bruised, or wilted. Embracing food imperfections with a little culinary creativity can significantly reduce food waste (and save you money!).
A note on food safety:
Many foods in these conditions (stale, wilted, etc.) are safe to eat. Following our tips on food expiration dates can help with understanding what is safe or not. Beyond these guidelines, use your senses – some foods are noticeably beyond saving if the look, smell, or taste is concerning.
Tips by food type:
- Bread: Make croutons, breadcrumbs, French toast, bread pudding, stuffing, and more with stale bread. Here are a few sources for recipes:
- Milk: Did you know that milk is safe to consume for a week past its expiration date (as long as it has been properly refrigerated)? Do a smell test.
- Slightly sour milk can be used as a substitute for buttermilk in cooking such items as pancakes or biscuits.
- Whole milk can be used to make ricotta cheese. Learn how with Emily from Table to Table.
- Not sure how to tell if milk is just a little sour or if it is spoiled? Check out this resource to learn more.
- Lettuce: Unwilt your lettuce by soaking in an ice bath. Learn how from Cook’s Illustrated.
- Bananas: Mushy and browned bananas? No problem! These are actually the best bananas for banana bread, smoothies, and more.
- Banana bread recipe from Allrecipes
- 36 other over-ripe banana recipes from Taste of Home.
- Have more bananas than you can eat right now? Freeze them.
- Apples: Bruised or wrinkled apples? These can be perfect for baking applesauce, pies, and other desserts. For a variety of recipes that use old or bruised apples, check out Kitchn.
- Tomatoes: There are a ton of recipe solutions for overripe or bruised tomatoes from lasagna, to marinara sauce, to soups. View recipes from EatingWell.
More tips:
- Mushy berries and other bruised, overripe fruits can be used to make smoothies. Blend fruit with water, juice, or milk. Add some honey or cinnamon for extra flavor and added nutrition!
- Got other wilted veggies besides lettuce? Soak wilted vegetables (carrots, celery and more) in an ice bath for about 10 minutes to bring them back to life. Wilted produce is usually a result of loss of water and they just need to be rehydrated. Learn more.
- Stale crackers or chips can be re-toasted in the oven to crisp them up. Learn more.
- Soup or sauce too salty? Add some vinegar, lemon juice, water, or brown sugar. Learn more.
Activity
Got some stale bread at home? Follow along with Emily in the kitchen and whip up some seasoned croutons or breadcrumbs!
Resources
- Tips to revive food from a variety of sources:
- NPR interview with Dana Gunders (formerly with the Natural Resource Defense Council and now Director of ReFED) on tips to cut kitchen waste
- How to revive food (Rachael Ray Show video)
- How to make croutons or breadcrumbs from stale bread (Table to Table video)

Eat It, Feed It, Compost It
When it comes to food, the highest and best use is to eat it. When eating food is not possible, we turn to other uses for food that are better options than landfilling. This month, Love Food, Fight Waste is highlighting the food hierarchy to delve into the best ways to manage food for people and the planet.
Monthly Topic Overview
The food hierarchy is helpful to break down all the different ways food can be managed and to identify which options are better than others, from a social, economic, and environmental perspective. Let’s break it down layer by layer.
#1 Source Reduction: Reducing food waste at the source (such as your home) is the best for you and the environment. When we eat the food we purchase, we save money and make less trash. There is a lot of energy, water, and other resources that go into growing and producing food, and when we eat it, we are making that whole process worth it!
- Take Action: Learn how to reduce food waste at the source by checking out our past monthly promotions listed above under “Program Timeline.”
#2 Feed People: When there is more food than what a home or business can realistically consume or sell, donate it to feed others! Depending on where you live, there are different options on how to donate.
- Take Action: Here in Iowa City, we have our food rescuers at Table to Table and CommUnity that do great work in this slice of our food hierarchy “pie.” Both organizations take nonperishable canned goods and fresh produce from gardens and Table to Table can accept leftover food from events. Donate or volunteer to make a difference!
#3 Feed Animals: When circumstances arise where food is unable to be distributed for people to eat, a great next use is to feed farm animals.
- Take Action: If you know of a consistent food source that fits into this layer of the food hierarchy, there may be a local farmer interested in receiving it! Visit Practical Farmers to find a farmer near you.
#4 Industrial Uses: When food cannot be eaten or fed to animals, it can be utilized to produce energy. This is usually at the commercial or industrial scale.
#5 Compost: Composting is a great option when food cannot be utilized in the above, and is especially useful for non-edible types of food waste such as banana peels, eggshells, and coffee grounds. Composting is the process of facilitated decomposition in which food scraps and other organic materials are made into compost, a nutrient-rich soil amendment. Compost can be added to your yard or garden to give your soil a nutrient boost.
- Take Action: For information on composting at home, curbside, or directly at the Compost Facility, visit the City of Iowa City’s food waste web page.
#6 Landfill: As a last resort option, food waste is legally allowed to be landfilled in most locations. This is considered the least recommended option because of many reasons. Organic material, such as food, in a landfill environment where there is no air or light produces a potent greenhouse gas known as methane. Throwing food away also wastes all the resources that went into growing and making that food in the first place.
Activity
- If you compost:
- Look in your compost bin to see what different items have been thrown in. Are the food items non-edible, like coffee grounds, or are they food items that could have been eaten and instead were wasted, like moldy bread?
- If you don’t compost:
- Look in your trash can to see what has been thrown away. Do you see any food items, and if so, were they food items that could have been eaten and instead were wasted?
Resources
- EPA’s information on food hierarchy and composting
- FoodPrint’s assortment of food waste reduction resources, including worm composting and regular composting tips, food waste reduction tips, and more!

Volunteer Spotlight: Dina Janzen’s essential role in a complex food recovery network
Dina Janzen’s interest in volunteering with Table to Table was piqued in January 2007 when she first noticed a volunteer picking up food at a donor partner. Now we’re celebrating Dina’s fifteenth year rescuing food with T2T!
Dina is currently one of three T2T volunteer drivers for what we refer to as our “Big Truck” route, picking up surplus warehouse food donations that account for 31% of the food T2T recovers. This food isn’t short-dated and adds variety to our deliveries, including gluten-free, vegetarian, and organic options. Driving our 22-ft straight truck, Dina stops at warehouse donors and loads literally tons of food on pallets directly into our truck quickly and efficiently.
What’s a key part of the volunteer role for Dina? “I absolutely love connecting with the people inside the backdoors of warehouses, stores and food pantries every week,” she says. “I find it fascinating to observe how the complex systems that exist to rescue all this food are constantly adapting. My part of this system is simple, but my role feels essential. A gratifying volunteer job indeed!”
Dina has collected food donations for T2T from warehouses since even before we procured our own big truck. Not too long ago, Dina loaded food donations off of pallets from warehouses by hand into a T2T van until no more would fit. She would then deliver the food to CommUnity Food Bank (then known as the Crisis Center), hand-unload it all, and stack it in their fridge or freezer space. Oh, if only we had the software then to track the amount of food that each of our volunteers rescues; Dina’s numbers would be off the charts!
Dina does what it takes, rain or shine, to make sure we connect great surplus food resources to folks who enjoy the food. We’re so grateful for her and her many years of dedication to our mission and community.
Get to know Dina:
What is one of your favorite food memories?
Baskin Robbins, 1972. Sugar cone with two scoops. Coffee ice cream on top of chocolate mint.
What are your hobbies?
Sewing, mah-jongg, bicycling around town, jigsaw puzzles, yoga, gardening, and searching for the most interesting AirBnbs.
What is your favorite dessert?
Homemade flan.

Now Enrolling AmeriCorps Food Rescue Specialist
AmeriCorps Food Rescue Specialist
Position Summary:
The AmeriCorps Food Rescue Specialist will contribute to the hunger relief efforts in Johnson County by supporting the daily function of the food rescue program and its volunteers in a friendly and fast-paced environment. This person will be part of the team directing volunteers and actualizing smooth pick-up and delivery of food donations, and preparing T2T’s fleet of vehicles for food rescue routes. This position may also participate in the gleaning (harvesting) of excess produce from farms and gardens as well as getting the food to food-insecure individuals via pop-up free produce stands and other efforts with partner agencies. T2T serves as the hub for 60% of the food distributed by Johnson County’s hunger relief network. The best candidate is an energetic team player with strong communication skills who enjoys interacting with people of diverse ages and backgrounds.
Read more about member benefits here.
Table to Table AmeriCorps Food Rescue Specialist 2022-2023
Schedule and Duration: Average 20 hours per week from January 16, 2023 – September 22, 2023
Primarily Monday-Friday mornings from 8AM with some flexibility (especially the first couple weeks of service, if needed to accommodate an academic calendar). Other days and times as needed and agreed upon; will require some evenings in the summer.
Required: Willing to consent to an AmeriCorps background check.
Ability to lift and move 20-40 pounds repeatedly.
Strongly preferred but not required: Over 21 with a valid driver’s license and good driving record.
Supervision Given by: The Food Rescue Specialist is supervised by the T2T Program Manager and is part of a team including the T2T Logistics & Relationships Coordinator.
If you’re interested in this AmeriCorps position, please submit an email of interest and/or a resume (both preferred, if available) to Allison Gnade at Table to Table via email: allison@table2table.org
About AmeriCorps
Being an AmeriCorps member is about making a tangible difference for communities and individuals dealing with some of our nation’s biggest challenges: poverty, inequity, homelessness, and lack of access to education. Summer AmeriCorps members help organizations with activities that work to alleviate the effects of poverty all across the country. As an AmeriCorps member you will serve in a project identified and managed by the community while earning a modest living allowance that reflects the income level of the community where you’re serving.

Join the Team! AmeriCorps Position
AmeriCorps Food Rescue Specialist
Position Summary:
The AmeriCorps Food Rescue Specialist will contribute to the hunger relief efforts in Johnson County by supporting the daily function of the food rescue program and its volunteers in a friendly and fast-paced environment. This person will be part of the team directing volunteers and actualizing smooth pick-up and delivery of food donations, and preparing T2T’s fleet of vehicles for food rescue routes. This position may also participate in the gleaning (harvesting) of excess produce from farms and gardens as well as getting the food to food-insecure individuals via pop-up free produce stands and other efforts with partner agencies. T2T serves as the hub for 60% of the food distributed by Johnson County’s hunger relief network. The best candidate is an energetic team player with strong communication skills who enjoys interacting with people of diverse ages and backgrounds.
Read more about member benefits here.
Table to Table AmeriCorps Food Rescue Specialist 2022-2023
Schedule and Duration: Average 20 hours per week from December 5, 2022 – August 11, 2023
Primarily Monday-Friday mornings from 8AM with some flexibility (especially the first couple weeks of service, if needed to accommodate an academic calendar). Other days and times as needed and agreed upon; will require some evenings in the summer.
Required: Willing to consent to an AmeriCorps background check.
Ability to lift and move 20-40 pounds repeatedly.
Strongly preferred but not required: Over 21 with a valid driver’s license and good driving record.
Supervision Given by: The Food Rescue Specialist is supervised by the T2T Program Manager and is part of a team including the T2T Logistics & Relationships Coordinator.
If you’re interested in this AmeriCorps position, please submit an email of interest and/or a resume (both preferred, if available) to Allison Gnade at Table to Table via email: allison@table2table.org
About AmeriCorps
Being an AmeriCorps member is about making a tangible difference for communities and individuals dealing with some of our nation’s biggest challenges: poverty, inequity, homelessness, and lack of access to education. Summer AmeriCorps members help organizations with activities that work to alleviate the effects of poverty all across the country. As an AmeriCorps member you will serve in a project identified and managed by the community while earning a modest living allowance that reflects the income level of the community where you’re serving.