Currently reading
100 Meals for $5 or Less by Jennifer Maughan
In the section title Don't just through it waya Jennifer points out that 1/3 to 1/4 of our groceries are thrown away which can add up to around $1,700 a year!
I don't believe in saving things because of guilt. I will not freeze something that should be thrown out. I will not create freezer fossils. I can get behind using stuff to make other yummy stuff or not buying things that will end up becoming waste.
Here are some ideas from Jennifer's book that I liked...
Keep a container in your fridge for veg broth. Whenever you make veggies save the broth then make soup when the container is full.
Keep a container in your fridge for veggie bits. When you have a few bits left over add them to the container then use for a yummy soup or pasta dish.
Soft tomatoes - put in blender to make fresh tomato sauce or make sun dried tomatoes
Save the crushed chips at the bottom of the bag for a crunchy topping
This one I really liked
Stale bread - use the blender to make stale bread into bread crumbs. Put the heels of the bread in there too. Just keep adding to the container.
Citrus peels. Wash thoroughly then freeze in vacuum bag. Grate frozen peels to add zip to a recipe.
Store fresh items in their season but store them properly to avoid freezer fossils. I like my vacuum freezer, canning is also very good. Don't fill your freezer with stuff that tastes like licking the bottom of the freezer. YUK! Take a few minutes to save it properly then you really will be saving the $1,700 a year.
I really like to think ahead when I'm planning meals. For example - we have breakfast for dinner one night then carbonara with the left over bacon the next night. I like to use the rubber chicken recipes. One night it's the main dish the next night it is hidden in some soup or pasta.
A big one for us too is portion size especially for the kids. I give them small portions of things I know they aren't big on - veggies usually - or things they haven't tried etc. Then there isn't a lot of waste.
I am not one of those you have to eat it or you can't leave the table people. I could write a whole post about that. I think forcing children to eat is a very bad habit to get them into and results in rebellion instead of children who love vegetables and try new things. I also think kids need to learn to listen to their body to know when they are full instead of being forced to eat beyond that capacity. Anyway that's off the subject. :)
Small portions and saving drinks in the fridge for later helps us reduce our food waste.
Composting!!! Good for your garden, good for the earth, reduces food waste. It's a winner!
Some places offer food waste pick ups if you don't garden.
Make dessert a special treat. Don't have dessert ever night. It is a healthier choice, it's cheaper and it makes it a real treat.
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