Tag: food waste

Tips to Eliminate Food Waste

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Cutting carrots on cutting board

Did you know that around 96% of food waste ends up in landfills? Instead of letting food go to waste, follow these tips to decrease food waste:

  1. Before grocery shopping, check your fridge, freezer, and pantry for ingredients you already have. This prevents buying duplicates!
  2. Plan out the meals you will be cooking that week, and only buy food items for those meals.
  3. Aim to cook the right number of portions to avoid throwing away extra food.
  4. If you have leftovers, refrigerate or freeze them in clear containers, labeled with the contents and dates.
  5. Check your refrigerator and freezer frequently so you do not let food go to waste.

Here’s to saving money and saving the environment!

Source: EPA, go.iastate.edu/BSGFIA

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Be in the Know—Don’t Throw! Tips to AvoidFood Waste

eminniha
Putting food in trash

Did you know one-third of all food in the United States goes uneaten and ends up in the landfills or waste facilities? We can help achieve the national food-waste reduction goal of decreasing food waste by 50% by the year 2030 with a few tips.

Planning your weekly meals can save you time and money. Make a list of the foods you have in your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry and plan upcoming meals around them. Check the foods in your refrigerator often to be sure you use or freeze them before you need to throw them away. Leftovers and produce that are past their prime can be used in other dishes. Repurpose these into soups, casseroles, baked goods, or smoothies.

Wash your berries, cherries, and grapes right before you are ready to eat them to avoid molding. Be sure to store your produce properly for maximum freshness and less waste.

For more information download our free publication, Food Waste at Home, store.extension.iastate.edu/product/15386.

Sources:
EPA, www.epa.gov
US Food and Drug Administration, www.fda.gov/food

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Labels Lead to Food Waste

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Many Americans throw away perfectly good food due to label confusion. This contributes 398,000 tons of food waste each year. “Best by” labels indicate when the manufacturer believes the food should be used for best quality, NOT food safety. “Use by” and “sell by” dates are similar for shelf stable foods; these dates tend to reflect quality, not food safety. However, “use by” and “sell by” dates on refrigerated items do indicate when the food may begin to spoil. Don’t use refrigerated foods that are past the “use-by” or “sell-by” date. If a food product is nearing the indicated date, you may be able to freeze it to extend its life.

Sources:
National Resources Defense Council, www.nrdc.org/food-waste
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, www.fda.gov

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