I had to get a new refrigerator recently after our old one quit working. I was appalled at the amount of food I threw out that didn’t make the cut to be transferred to the new fridge. It got me to thinking about how much food our family wastes and what I could do about it.
Evaluate what types of food you throw out on a regular basis. Write it down if you have to so you can track patterns. Did you buy too large a quantity and some of it went bad before you could consume it? Do you keep hoping you or a family member will eat a certain food but it never happens? What about leftovers from a restaurant? Did you let your child pick out a food at the store and now he claims he doesn’t like it?
Once you know what situations lead to waste, you can begin to seek some solutions. For example, I am always throwing out the remainder of packages of green onions that have spoiled. I use about half the package in a salad or recipe, and the rest gets left to rot. My solution? Trim and freeze the rest. Frozen foods may not taste exactly like fresh, but in a soup or casserole you likely won’t be able to tell the difference. Buy one carrot from the bin instead of a whole bag if that is all you need. I have never once needed an entire package of celery for a recipe, so I buy a half-cup of chopped celery from the salad bar. This still costs less overall.
Another cause of food waste at my house is my “healthy eating fantasy.” I say to myself, “Boy, I wish I (and my kids) would eat healthy cut up veggies instead of chips or crackers. I think I will buy these convenient, already cut up packages of broccoli florets and baby carrots.” Two weeks later, out they go in the trash, untouched. Yes, I have put them in clear containers at eye level in a well-lit refrigerator. I just don’t want to eat them. But apparently I still think I should buy them, just in case! Same with the vegetable juice disguised as fruit punch. I can pour the juice in a plain cup, no labels in sight. My kids just know. They don’t even have to taste it. “MOOOM! This isn’t my regular juice!” Be realistic and spend your food dollars on the healthy foods everyone does like, not the ones you think they should.
Are you throwing away leftovers that come home from restaurant meals? This could be because they are poorly packaged. Transferring the contents of your doggie bag to an airtight container when you get home will keep the food fresh a few days more. Do you often order an entrée or dinner portion in a restaurant even if it exceeds your hunger level? I sometimes think, “Well even if it is too much, I can take some home and have it tomorrow.” Reheated or soggy restaurant food rarely tastes as good the next day (exception: cold pizza, yum!). Order a smaller appetizer or lunch portion at the restaurant or share with your dining companion. Yes, it might not be as good a value, but you still will spend less overall and avoid throwing away the leftovers. Our family seems to constantly bring home leftover kids meal French fries from restaurants—and then throw them away a few days later. Ask kid-friendly restaurants whether you can order a hamburger or chicken fingers a la carte, or substitute apple sauce or fruit for half or all of the fries. For example, one appetizer of chicken fingers costs less than two kids meals and provides enough for two kids to share without leftovers. .
If you shop at warehouse stores such as Sam’s or Costco, compare with a friend notes on items you commonly buy. Do you both buy certain crackers or cookies, but they go stale or your kids tire of them before the vat is gone? Do your kids only like certain flavors in the giant variety packs? See whether doing some co-purchasing might be worthwhile. You don’t both have to go, just agree on the purchase, how you will deliver the goods and how you will get paid. If you don’t want to go to the trouble of co-shopping, be realistic about the warehouse store savings. If I want buy a big box or package of snacks that is a good value at first glance, I have to stop and think. Is it still a good value if it takes so long to consume that some portion will have spoiled before we finish? Is it still a good value if I or my kids only like one or two of the varieties in the combo pack? Do I have room to store it accessibly?
Do friends or relatives push food on you? My mom will be headed out of town and give me a bag of grapefruit, despite the fact that I have never eaten a grapefruit in my life. Hmmm. I should give it to someone else who might enjoy this now, not let it rot on my counter for two weeks and then throw it out.
What should you do when you end up with excess that has not spoiled, but you know will not be used?
- Unopened and individually packaged items can be given to a food pantry, depending on their acceptance guidelines. Some also will take produce. See FoodPantries.org for a list.
- Ask your school, especially the aftercare program, whether they can use any extra snacks. Don’t forget breakfast items for the early care kids.
- Bring the leftovers to a youth group meeting, sports practice (even if you aren’t on snack duty) or potluck social gathering.
- Store a few less perishable items in your car. Kids who would not eat these foods at home might reconsider if they are out and about with no access to other choices.
Laura Miller McEachen is a part-time attorney and full-time mommy.