Reduce Food Waste During the Holidays
If every Collingswood resident eliminated food waste we would save 5,119,855 pounds of food in one year. The USDA reports that between 30 and 40% of all food is wasted in the United States. That translates to 150,000 tons of food wasted a day, or a pound per person per day. Food waste is a leading contributor of climate changing greenhouse gases. Families and individuals can make a huge impact simply by modifying their shopping, eating, and waste disposal habits. Remember these small tips during your holiday festivities, and keep them going throughout the rest of the year!
- Shop Smart Don't overdo it! Only purchase what you need. Plan menus and recipes that utilize similar ingredients, and use as many parts of each ingredient as you can.
- Shop Local Farm to table shopping puts fresh, quality produce in the hands of shoppers helping to reduce food waste due to spoilage. (Bonus: It also lowers the carbon footprint of your food!)
- Save the Seeds Pumpkins and squash are used abundantly in holiday cooking. Instead of throwing the seeds away, choose to roast them for a delicious, healthy, resourceful snack!
- Eat your Leftovers Leftovers aren't just for holidays! Finding creative ways to use up leftovers is a forgotten household art. Make a habit of eating yours within 24 to 48 hours.
- Utilize your Freezer If you do end up with remaining ingredients or leftover meals, look towards the freezer for storage until you are able to reuse the food!
- Get Creative Brining, canning, soups, stocks, smoothies, facial scrubs... the options are endless! Think of ways to use every part of an ingredient before turning to the trash bin.
- Try Composting Turn food scraps into fuel for plants. A few minutes with a quick internet search can show you how. You can also look for local drop offs that will compost scraps for you.