10 Habits of People who Hate to Waste Food

#foodwaste facts..

Image via nrdc.org

Food Waste can be Reduced by Following Food Recovery Hierarchy

Image via epa.gov

See the 10 habits of people who hate to waste food

Did you know?

Action: Make a shopping list before going to the stores. Menu planning helps avoid needless buying.

1. They are conscious buyers – they buy what they need

Action: Follow the First In, First Out (FIFO) rule

2. They always use what they have in their refrigerators before buying more

Wrap from leftover veggies and salad, anyone?

3. They use leftovers before they spoil – ‘food smart’ people repurpose leftovers and go creative on dinner menus

Leftovers

Leftovers

Tuesday

Leftovers Sundays

Action: Don’t throw away just because the expiry date says so.. Food can be good past the printed expiry labels. You can donate food if you cannot consume it all.

4. They keep tabs on expiry dates of food products

Action: Make jams, jellies, preserves from excess fruits in your backyard or those that are going bad in your fridge.

5. They freeze, preserve, or can surplus fruits and vegetables - especially abundant seasonal produce

Action: Don’t judge a fruit or produce by how it looks, a wonky fruit tastes just as good as a perfect looking one! Trust your nose to make a decision, for example cut off at least a quarter inch past the end of the mold on a cheese block to use the rest.

6. They don't throw away fruits that don’t look ‘perfect’ or produce that is slightly spoiled or a cheese block with a moldy edge

Action: Some food storage best practices:http://www.nutrition.gov/shopping-cooking-meal-planning/food-storage-and-preservation

7. They know that proper storage can maximize life and freshness of produce or stored food

Action: Ask for your leftovers to-go at restaurants. Use minimal packaging to avoid waste.

8. They order and eat what they can finish at restaurants or buffets. The rest goes back home, not in the trash.

Action: Your actions speak more than words , they'll do what they see...

9. They teach their kids to respect food and avoid food waste at home and outside

Over 600lbs of organic yard and kitchen materials can

be diverted per home through backyard

composting.Source: cityofknoxville.org

Did you know?

Action: Find out if your city offers composting programs and/or check out a collection on 500eco to get started on composting:http://www.500eco.com/groups/how-to-compost

10. They compost leftover food scraps or spoiled produce rather than throwing them away in trash

Know more and add your ideas for solutions to #FoodWaste on 500eco.com

http://www.500eco.com/groups/food-waste

Resources and references for this presentation:www.epa.gov www.nrdc.org

www.cityofknoxville.org http://www.usda.gov

http://www.nutrition.gov