How to reduce food waste and save money
Imagine this. A woman opens a garbage bin and tosses a $5 bill in it. If she continues doing it for an entire year, she will ensure that $1,825 will end up in a landfill somewhere in the United States.
Although it seems unlikely that someone would throw out money like that, in reality, it is a scene that is often played out in most households across the country when uneaten leftovers and spoiled produce in American households are measured in terms of dollars.
This could explain why a food education program by 412 Food Rescue, which began in spring 2016 and aimed at reducing food waste, has ended up helping families save some precious dollars.
Conducted with the help of its nonprofit partners, which include Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC Family Care Connections Centers, the Greater Allegheny County Family Support Center Network, South Hills Interfaith Movement, Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community and Operation Safety Net, the program aims to give families access to fresh produce and complement the same with cooking and nutrition classes. So far more than 100 mothers, who live in poverty or receive public assistance, have received training.
“Teaching people how to cook, that is helping people get comfortable and confident in the kitchen is one of the best ways to address food waste at home,” said Leah Lizarondo, co-founder and CEO of 412 Food Rescue. “Moreover, studies show that simply going back to cooking food at home, impacts health,”
An unintended consequence of the program has been the savings in terms of dollars for the participants — both when they reduce food waste and when they cook at home instead of eating out.
Pam Morrison, 68, a retired educational specialist for Allegheny Intermediate Unit, said she has seen the food waste in her home go down substantially after she took part in the program. “The biggest savings have been in terms of vegetables. There has been a 50 percent reduction in vegetables being thrown away. This also means I save money,” said the Highland Park resident.
She heard of the food education program while visiting the preschool in Lawrenceville where her grandson, Antonio, studies.
“Now I realize that there is no point in buying a 2-pound bag of carrots even if they are extremely cheap because by the time I get around to using them they would be no good,” Morrison said.
She said she now uses leftover vegetables in her meals because the program has made her realize that it can be done without altering the flavor of the meal being made.
She also has learned the proper techniques to cut vegetables, which has helped her to cut waste. She said the information on food labels and how much sugar a bottle of soda contains was an eye opener. “Though I don't drink sugary drinks, it was interesting to learn how much one gram of sugar translates into in terms of servings,” she said. “I know the young mothers in the program would now think twice before buying sugary drinks. Think of the benefits in terms of money and health.”
Morrison's savings by way of reducing food waste might seem minuscule but it does add up to a substantial number.
Steven Finn, a sustainability expert and faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania said the average American family of four wastes up to about $2,200 per year.
“So families that take meaningful steps to reduce the food that they waste can save real money,” he said.
He said the biggest impediment to reducing waste at the household level right now is our culture of abundance.
“We are surrounded by food, we can get it at all manner of stores on a 24-7 basis, relatively inexpensively. We expect big portions, multiple varieties, and perfection in terms of size, shape and appearance of our produce. We are incredibly disconnected from the source of our food, what it takes to produce it, and how it typically appears in nature,” he said.