Did your parents ever tell you about starving kids in China to get you to eat everything on your plate? Mine did, and even if the method was silly, I certainly learned the lesson and loathe wasting any food at all.
Not so with every American. A recent New York Times report reveals that an astonishing 27% of food in America goes straight to the landfill. So not only do we eat more than anyone else, we waste more too. This is a bad habit that has to change.
Waste not, want not, a common saying goes, and our editor, Sara, recently suggested some practical tips to reduce your food waste. Here are even more ideas:
1. Maintain a simple diet, based on the healthiest whole foods. The less hodge-podge, the easier it is to mix and manage what you already have.
2. Avoid fad foods or buying things just because they’re on sale. Be realistic; buy only what you’re really going to eat and not what you think you should eat because it’s supposedly good for you.
3. Keep dried goods in reused glass jars (Mason jars, spaghetti sauce jars, etc). This way it’s easier to see what you actually have, plus it’s quite attractive.
4. Zen is in; don’t overstuff the fridge. Unless you’re feeding a large family, you don’t need that much food in one place at one time. Keep some empty spaces so you can see what’s actually in there, otherwise you’ll end up with Slimy Brown Lettuce Syndrome.
5. See leftovers as an opportunity to get creative. Rather than always buying new ingredients to make new meals, use what you already have to make something spontaneous and creative. That’s the touski way.
6. Give back to the earth: Compost! What was once destined for the landfill can now be turned into valuable nutrition for the garden. Start a compost today – it’s so easy and fun. (FYI, because of improper conditions, food won’t compost in a landfill. It just takes up space.)
7. Appreciate food. If you’ve ever planted a garden, you know the work and care it takes, so try planting something (even herbs in a pot) and learn to appreciate the work of your local, organic farmers.