In The Kitchen: Food Waste Prevention Week

Author: Emily Menshew

Earth Month is the perfect opportunity to reflect on our habits and how they impact the planet. We might think about how often we drive and take advantage of the nicer weather to bike to work, or maybe even grab some friends and family and find a river cleanup event for Earth Day. But did you know that you can make an impact without even leaving your house? Food Waste Prevention Week badge In fact, reflecting on our cooking and grocery shopping habits has the potential to have a greater and long-lasting impact on our environment. Through Sunday, Second Harvest is joining people and organizations across the world to celebrate this potential through Food Waste Prevention Week.

We know that wasted food is a problem for many reasons. On one hand, grocery prices have been on the rise, and many families simply can’t afford to throw food away. When we throw food away, we are also wasting the resources needed to grow, harvest and transport that food. Additionally, food that ends up in landfills produces methane gas, a greenhouse gas that is nearly 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

In the United States, nearly 40% of our annual food supply goes unsold or uneaten, and nearly half of the food waste produced by the United States comes from the residential sector. While these stats may seem scary at first, they also tell us that we ALL have the opportunity to make an impact!

For Food Waste Prevention Week this year, consider tackling your food waste by keeping a Emily M img 8744 720 crop log of the amount and types of food you throw away. This can help highlight patterns of waste and make it easier to find solutions that work for you. It’s good to take a look at how you’re storing your food, how often you’re shopping, what items you’re buying in bulk, how you’re using your freezer, meal prepping habits, etc. Small changes, like washing produce in a vinegar bath before storing, can have a huge impact on the shelf life of your produce. Taking the time to check your fridge and pantry before making your meal plan or heading to the grocery store can cut back on over-purchasing. And remember, never go to the grocery store without your list! You don’t want to waste extra time and money buying food that might go to waste. For more tips, visit: https://secondharvestkitchen.org/food-waste/.

To learn more about how you can be a food waste hero this year, visit: https://www.foodwastepreventionweek.com/learn.

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