9 ways to trim your food waste

The average American family throws away 14 percent of its food —or approximately $600 every year—including meat, fruit, vegetables and grain products. On a worldwide scale, each year approximately 1.3 billion tons of food — roughly a third — of the world’s total food production is either wasted or lost, according to a report for the United Nations by the Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology. If this concerns you, begin to make a difference by taking steps to reduce your food waste. Getting started can be as easy as rearranging your refrigerator more often or shopping more frequently. Here are some other strategies. Sign up for a super-sustainable CSA. A CSA, or community supported agriculture program, is basically a subscription for a box of fresh local produce to be delivered weekly. While some may think this option would lead them to waste more food, proponents say it isn’t the case. Not only is CSA food convenient and healthy, but it supports your local farmers and your local economy. Cost is usually around $35 per week. For a list of Spokane areas CSA’s, visit here. What to do with brown bananas and squishy strawberries? When life gives you ultra-ripe fruits and veggies, make a smoothie.Either use them right away by tossing them in the blender with other ingredients or freeze them and label “For smoothies” for later. Go here for some great green smoothie recipes or here for fruit smoothies you and your family will be sure to slurp up! Get creative. At least once a week make a meal from the pantry/refrigerator using ingredients that are close to expiring. Don’t worry about following a recipe; just follow your instincts. You’ll feel better about your efforts to conserve food and may find a new favorite dish in the process! Any items that you can’t use right away and that are close to going to the other side, freeze for a later date. Why buy a bushel when you only need a sprig? Often a recipe calls for a small amount of basil or thyme, but buying only the amount you need isn’t usually an option. Instead, grow your own herbs at home and enjoy the benefits of picking off what you want when you want it. Basil, parsley, and oregano are easy to grow and use and are called for in many dishes. Get organized and double your groceries’ potential. It may sound time-consuming but moving older items to the front of the fridge or cupboards can be as easy as pie if you do it every time you come back from the store. Instead of just shoving everything in, do a little rearranging and who knows? You may just find you need to buy less next time. Buy only what you can carry. I know this may sound ultra challenging, especially for those with kids. However, if you keep the basics on hand and shop once or twice a week for additional items such as your fish and bread and the items that are going to make your meal special, the theory here is that you’ll be more likely to use what you have before making another trip, and thus waste less! Plan your meals, make a list, and check it twice. Instead of heading to the store without a clue, take some time, decide what you’re going to cook in the next week, inventory your shelves to see what you have, and then make a pact with yourself that you will keep to your list (for the most part, that is)! You’ll buy less, spend less, and be more organized come dinner time! Give Food Scraps Another Chance. Citrus Rinds: Add citrus zest to a pot of boiling veggies or a bottle of vodka or tequila to up the taste a notch or two or decorate cakes and pastries. If you can’t use the zest right away, bag it up and throw it in the freezer (be sure to label what it is and you’re more likely to use later). Veggie Waste: Instead of throwing out celery leaves, fennel tops, leek greens, asparagus ends, parsley stems, etc., keep a bag in your freezer for making homemade vegetable stock. When you have spare time, simply dump the trimmings into a pot, and simmer for awhile. Go to http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/stocking-your-kitchen-make-vegetable-stock.htm for a quick and easy recipe. Grease/Fat Bacon grease is great for adding flavor to your potatos, greens (cooked), eggs or even a grilled cheese! Pour it through a sieve into a clean jar, let it cool, and then refrigerate. The same with chicken fat. After roasting a bird, use the same technique to pour off the fat, then use the leftovers to roast vegetables or fry meat. Seafood Shrimp peels, mussel shells, fish ends, and crawfish shells make a quick and flavorful seafood stock. Add to a large pot of 8 cups of water and assorted chopped vegetables (onions, carrots, celery, etc.). Makes great seafood soups like fish chowder or seafood gumbo. Meat Bones These work great at flavoring stock. Throw a beef bone in your pot next time you make spaghetti sauce from scratch and you’ll give it an extra depth of flavor or add to a pot of cooking beans or lentils. Chicken bones will also make your chicken noodle soup a little tastier. Finally, if you can’t think of another consumable use for your waste, compost! If you don’t have access to a compost pile where you live, ask around at your local farmers market and more than likely you’ll find a farmer ready and willing to take it off your hands!