Reducing food waste

I frequently hear that as much as 40% of food in the US is wasted in various stages of production, transport, sales, and by consumers in restaurants and homes.  Although we as consumers cannot affect most of what happens before the food gets to the grocery store or restaurant, there are things we can do. 

• Plan your meals before you shop, buy what you need for those meals (including meals using leftovers), and then stick to your plan.  When you stock up on extras “just in case”, choose items with a longer shelf life or use your freezer. 
• Be creative with the leftovers.  For example, you can use the carcass of a roasted chicken to make soup broth.  Bits of leftover vegetables can be added to casseroles or make vegetable soup.
• Manage your food storage areas and keep track of which items are nearing their expiration dates.
• Shop in the grocery store “last chance” areas for bargains on items that are still good but nearing the end of their shelf life. 
• While you should not buy or eat food that is spoiled, buying “ugly” fruits and vegetables (still good food but have a blemish or shape that turns consumers away) can save these items from the landfill.
• Take your reusable container to restaurants to bring home leftovers.
• Use your freezer. 

See the link below for some additional ideas.  I don’t agree with the tip about using aluminum foil to crisp your pizza toppings, because then you have generated aluminum waste, but many of the other tips are good. 
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https://www.rd.com/list/13-steps-to-a-zero-waste-kitchen/