These tips can help you reduce food waste and save money
Each year, 119 billion pounds of food is wasted in the United States. That equates to 130 billion meals and more than $408 billion in food thrown away each year.
Shockingly, nearly 40% of all food in America is wasted. We can all play a part in reaching the national food waste reduction goal — to reduce food waste by 50% by the year 2030.
Start using these tips today to reduce food waste, save money, and save the environment.
■ Refrigerate peeled or cut veggies for freshness and to keep them from going bad.
■ Use your freezer! Freezing is a great way to store most foods to keep them from going bad.
■ Create a designated space in your fridge for foods that you think will be going bad within a few days.
■ Check your refrigerator often to keep track of what you have and what needs to be used. Eat or freeze items before you need to throw them away.
■ If you have more food on hand than you can use or you need, consider donating your extra supply of packaged foods to a local pantry or a food drive.
■ Prepared too much food for a party at your home? Pack extras in containers for guests to take home or take some over to a neighbor as a nice gesture.
■ Create new dishes and snacks with leftovers or items you think will go bad if not eaten soon.
■ Pre-plan and write your shopping list before going to the store. As you write your list, think about what meals you will be preparing the following week, and check your fridge to see what items you already have.
■ When at the store, buy only what you need and stick to the shopping list. Be careful when buying in bulk, especially with items that have a limited shelf life.
■ If available, purchase “ugly” fruits or vegetables that often get left behind at the grocery store but are safe to eat. “Ugly” produce has physical imperfections but are not damaged or rotten. Sometimes they may have discounted prices.
■ When eating out, ask for smaller portions to prevent plate waste and keep you from overeating.
■ Check the temperature setting of your refrigerator. Keep the temperature at 40 degrees or below to keep foods safe. The temperature of our freezer should be 0 degrees.
■ Learn about food product dating—many consumers misunderstand the purpose and meaning of the date labels that often appear on packaged foods. Confusion over date labeling account for an estimated 20% of consumer waste.
COCONUT CHICKEN SALAD
Makes 5 (one cup) Servings 140 Calories per Serving
2 cups shredded or chopped
cooked chicken
¼ cup finely chopped onion
2 green onions, white and green chopped
½ cup finely chopped carrot
1 cup thinly sliced cabbage
½ cup shredded fresh or frozen unsweetened coconut flakes (or ¼ cup dried)
1 to 3 teaspoons red pepper flakes or 1 hot pepper, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup lemon juice
In a large bowl, mix chicken and vegetables. Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and mix well.
Add lemon juice and mix again. Serve right after preparing
Tips: Add more cabbage, carrot and green onion or other vegetables such as chopped bell pepper. Serve with tortillas or rice.
POZOLE WITH CHICKEN
Makes 6 (1 cup) Servings
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced or ½
teaspoon garlic powder
1 can (10 ounces) red enchilada
sauce
3 cups low-sodium chicken
broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 can (15 ounces) hominy,
drained and rinsed
2 cups shredded chicken Toppings: Shredded cabbage or lettuce, sliced radishes, chopped onion, lime juice, chopped cilantro, chopped or sliced avocado
In a large saucepan on medium heat, sauté onion in oil until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
Add the enchilada sauce, broth, cumin, oregano and hominy to the onion and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken and heat through, for about 2 minutes.
Spoon into shallow bowls and add toppings as desired.
NO7T YOUR EVERYDAY APPLES
Makes 3 (¾ cup) Servings 150 Calories per Serving
3 medium apples, chopped ½ cup raisins
2 teaspoons butter 2 teaspoons brown sugar ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix apples with raisins, butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
Place the mixture in a baking dish and cover loosely with foil. Bake for about 20 minutes.
Cool slightly and enjoy!
Tips: Try serving this with vanilla or plain yogurt. No raisins? Use any dried fruit cut into bite-sized pieces.