Have you ever wondered how you can reduce your food waste and save money? It’s something that’s been on my mind a lot lately…
Do you ever open your refrigerator at the end of the week and feel your mood going sour when you see how much food you’ll be throwing away?
Here’s how I try to keep my mood – and food – from souring. Each weekend, I:
- Check our calendar to see how many meals we’ll be home for
- Check the fridge to see what I need to use up
- Plan our meals, make a grocery list, and do our shopping
- Make a vow not to return to the store again until the following weekend
Studies show that in the US, we waste from 25 – 40% of the food that is produced, packaged, shipped, and purchased. Food waste costs the average American family $1,365 – $2,275 each year! That’s enough money to take a vacation or beef up our kids’ college funds. The effect of all of this waste on our climate is staggering – both in terms of water wasted to produce the food and carbon dioxide emissions from transporting and disposing of food.
What if we look at using up the food we buy and only buying what we need not only as a way to save money and protect the planet, but also as a practical opportunity to teach our kids flexibility, problem solving, and delayed gratification?
To read the five tips I have for reducing your food waste — tips that will save you money, too! —visit my friend Lisa Leake at 100 Days of Real Food.
