Here’s what you need for a successful Erase Food Waste Challenge (and making an impact beyond that). Join the conversation at #EraseFoodWaste for more recipes and ideas.
- Day 1: Create a game plan to beat food waste. About 40% of all food produced in the U.S. is wasted. You can reduce the amount of food you toss by creating a meal plan for the week. Then shop, prep, cook and eat!
-
Day 2: Make a list before you shop. Take inventory in your pantry and fridge ahead of shopping trips. Then make a list that checks all the boxes of your game plan to #EraseFoodWaste
-
Day 3: Do some fridge feng shui. An organized fridge can help you make the most of what you have at home. And store wisely. Stash produce in the crisper to extend freshness. Plus, avoid storing bananas, apples, avocados or stone fruits with other produce as they can quicken the ripening process.
-
Day 4: Freeze food for future use. Fresh herbs about to wilt or sliced bread getting stale? Save food in the freezer! Store herbs in a zip-top freezer bag or in ice cube trays with olive oil. Packaged sliced bread keeps in the freezer for up to 1 month.
-
Day 5: Embrace a root-to-stem philosophy. The approach is simple: use all edible parts of produce when you cook or prepare foods. Try baking crispy chips from potato skins, drying papaya seeds to use like peppercorns or repurposing veggie scraps into the perfect weeknight pesto.
-
Day 6: Make the most of your “to-go.” Can’t eat another bite? Anytime you order takeout/delivery, portion out the leftovers and store saucy ingredients in separate containers so you can extend them into another meal.
-
Day 7: Spread The Word! Show how you created a meal with leftovers or unused ingredients. Post a photo, video or story on how you helped #EraseFoodWaste to inspire others.