Lets face it, we're all guilty of food waste.
I started keeping track of how much food we threw out about a year ago after a particularly shameful fridge cleaning. I told myself it had been a busy couple of weeks, how was I supposed to find time to cook while on the run? The drive-thru down the road was so convenient. (Excuses, Excuses!)
So I started to do some research. According to the US Department of Agriculture, Census Bureau, between grocery stores, restaurants, cafeterias, and homes the average family of 4 throws away 122 pounds of food PER MONTH! Holy Cow! You've got to be kidding me! Here's the breakdown; 18.5 lbs of Grains, 10.4 lbs of Meat & Fish, 15 lbs Sweeteners, 24 lbs of Fresh Fruits & Vegetables, 10.5 lbs of Processed Fruit & Vegetables, 22 lbs of Fluid Milk, 8.6 lbs of Fats & Oils, and 12.8 lbs of Other Foods like Eggs, Legumes and Other Dairy products are thrown out monthly according to one federal study.
Looking at the breakdown, I started doing the math. One pound of meat could be in excess of $3. Needless to say this was seriously hurting my bottom line. No wonder my grocery bill seemed excessive. Not to mention the social implications were just downright shameful. There are people starving in home town America and I'm causing this much waste? So I decide to make a plan to help reduce this excess and save money. So far it's reduced our monthly spending by over $200. Maybe it can help your family too.
1. PLAN YOUR MEALS: I'll say it over and over again, PLAN YOUR MEALS! Planning meals is one of the best ways to reduce food costs, feel organized, and maintain a healthy diet. If you have a purpose for the items in your fridge they're less likely to be wasted, simple as that. I'm also living a hectic lifestyle, working, being a single parent again, and running kids to soccer practice & guitar lessons. Planning our meals gives me the relief of feeling a bit more organized while running at a crazy pace. And if you're anything like me, you're trying to watch your waistline and valiantly fighting the battle to keep your kids off junk food. Meal planning can give you extra security knowing you're providing healthy options for your family.
2. KNOW YOUR STOCK: I used to be the WORST at buying that taco sauce or salad dressing because I wasn't sure if we had some in the pantry. The result, massive food waste due to doubles & triples of items we couldn't use before they expired. My advice, try to plan your meals around what's in your stock. Also, never write anything down on your shopping list until you check to see if that item already resides on your shelves. Stocking & using items by date is also helpful in reducing waste.
3. STICK TO YOUR SHOPPING LIST: Oh but it's on sale, or I'm hungry and those chips are looking good. NO! If it's not on your shopping list, don't put it in your basket, no arguments, no excuses! This was one of the hardest habits for me to break. I still struggle with those inviting end displays when I go shopping. I just remind myself, it doesn't do me any good to purchase it if I'm just going to be throwing it away.....
4. BUY IN BULK: This is where knowing your average grocery store prices comes in handy. I can buy my favorite brand pre-packaged 2 oz spice jar of Ground Cumin for $5.49 (on sale) or I can hit the bulk spice bins and fill my own 2 oz jar for $1.97. Umm....no brainer! That's a savings of $3.52, incidentally the same price of one pound of lean ground beef.
5. STAY AWAY FROM CONVENIENCE FOODS: I am a creature of convenience. Especially when it comes to juice boxes, single serving packages of applesauce, and TV dinners for lunch at work. Did you know it costs 3 to 6 times more to purchase something pre-packaged for convenience than it does to simply prepare it yourself? I've invested in single serving Tupperware cups, lidded kids cups with straws, and a lunch box for myself. When I get a jar of applesauce or fruit for the kids, I simply take the 5 minutes it takes to fill the Tupperware cups and store them in the fridge for future use. Leftovers go directly into a lunch box so all I have to do is grab & go for work the next morning.
6. PREP YOUR FOOD AFTER YOUR SHOPPING TRIP: I've lost count of how many times I buy a head of lettuce or a bunch of radishes with the intent of making a salad for the upcoming week, only to throw them away several days later because they've become mushy in the plastic produce bag at the back of the fridge. My solution; before I even put them in the fridge I rinse, cut & dry them, placing them in appropriate containers to maintain their vitality. When I need a salad, I simply grab the containers, throw a few things together in a bowl and put the remainder back in the fridge for next time. It's worth the extra 20 min it takes to prep your fresh fruit & veggies after your shopping trip.
7. BRING BACK THE DINNER TABLE: I was a "Latch Key" kid growing up. I came home from school to an empty house while my Mom worked often until late at night. I would fix my own dinner (usually Ramen Noodles or Tomato Soup) and eat it while watching Nick-At-Night shows like Donna Reed and the Andy Griffith Show. I will admit it wasn't a little jealousy I felt while watching a caring family sit together at the table, sharing their stories of the day. I swear they had it right. The benefits of sitting down at the table with your family to eat a meal are vast and will likely be fodder for a future post. But how is it relevant to reducing food costs and waste, you ask? With your family waiting at the dinner table, the pressure's on to bring a healthy, well balanced meal to them; therefore using the food you purchased and possibly left-overs from a previous meal. It's also a way to stay more organized. The meal was planned, items are set before the family in their own individual dishes, and leftovers are put away in a more organized fashion giving you better access to re-invent or freeze.
8. RE-INVENT OR FREEZE LEFTOVERS: I know some people don't like leftovers. That's when you get creative. We had lasagna last night with garlic bread and a salad. My family loves lasagna so there were only about 3 pieces left, not enough for another meal. So I chopped these pieces up and made a tomato lasagna soup. The left over garlic bread was made into croutons I sprinkled over the top of the soup with a bit of Parmesan cheese. There you have it - lasagna left-overs re-invented! The family loved it and I didn't throw out one thing.
9. HAVE AN EMERGENCY QUICK MEAL STASH: I get it, things happen. The car had a flat in a thunderstorm on your way back home from soccer practice at 6:30 pm (true story, by the way). My family would be melting down and looking to me to rescue them by the time we got home. No money for fast food for this paycheck to paycheck family because the tire repair just broke us. What next? ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP MEAL STASHED! It could be something like frozen fries with canned chili and pre-shredded cheddar to make Chili-Cheese Fries or a casserole you've previously frozen that just needs 10 minutes in the microwave. It is worth the time and effort to make extra and set it aside for occasions like this! I'm also a big proponent of emergency preparedness. Always have some meals on hand you can fix if the power goes out and you have no access to the Market. I have never once regretted taking the extra 5 min it takes to be prepared for an emergency.
10. MAKE SMOOTHIES OR JUICE THOSE EXTRA FRUITS & VEGGIES: I've recently invested in a juicer and my family loves it. I love the fact that we can make healthy fruit & veggie juices from our "left over" fresh fruits & veggies. Previously if an apple got a little soft I used to throw it out, but now I know they make the BEST juices. I had some very ripe strawberries that I chopped up and froze for breakfast smoothies. A healthy and economical way to reduce costs & food waste.
I hope these tips (and lessons I've learned the hard way) will help your family. Please let me know what you think or if you have any additional tips that have worked for you.
Until Next Time ~~ Jenn
