Things You'll Need:
- pen/pencil and paper
- recipes using your leftover food
-
Step 1
Think about what food your household wastes.
Do you forget to eat the vegetables you buy? Does leftover dinner migrate to the back of the fridge to start new life forms? Do you have children who never drink that last bit of milk or juice? Make a list of the ways your family wastes food. -
Step 2
Only buy what you eat.
If your family hates broccoli but you're buying it because it's "healthy" then stop. Food is only healthy if you eat it! If no one eats turkey or salad or whatever then don't buy it. That's much less food to go to waste. -
Step 3
Use your leftovers.
Leftover breakfast cereal can be used in muffin recipes (if it's mostly milk reduce the amount of milk in the recipe). Waffles can be frozen in a ziplock bag and popped into the toaster (on a pastry setting) for a repeat treat. Leftovers from dinner can be lunch or dinner the next day, either reheated or recombined to make a new meal. For example, leftover roast beef can be used in a stir-fry with leftover vegetables. -
Step 4
Do a daily search of your refrigerator for food that needs to be eaten when you're planning a meal. Don't forget to check the crisper and the deli drawer!
-
Step 5
Rearrange your freezer to put the oldest food on the top/front, then when you buy new food put it at the bottom/back. Rotate your freezer food, using the oldest food first, to prevent losing good meat and veggies to freezer burn.
-
Step 6
Buy juice in large containers and pour glasses individually. If your child routinely doesn't finish his/her milk or juice, only pour a half glass the next time. If they protest tell them there is plenty but they must finish what they take before they get more.
If teenagers refuse to finish their juice or milk ask them to either drink it, take only what they are going to drink, or contribute to purchasing more. They will begin to monitor themselves much better! -
Step 7
Make sure your refrigerator is maintained properly. Vacuuming the coils underneath once a month will prolong its lifespan and keep your food at a proper temperature. This will also save you money through lower electricity bills!
-
Step 8
Pay attention to "use by" dates. Use your oldest canned and packaged food first, putting the newer things you buy in back of the items you already have.
Usually canned and packaged food is still good well after the "use by" date, but if you see, smell, or taste anything unusual in the food discard it. -
Step 9
If you come into a large amount of food (from a CSA, buying a case of something with a friend, etc.) consider canning, drying, pickling, or using some other form of food preservation before it goes bad. Never done it before? Check out the "How To" guides here on eHow and give it a try!
-
Step 10
Do you have animals that could eat your leftovers and scraps? Many pets like hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits like veggie peels and dried-out vegetables. Try giving a small piece at first, to see how your pet likes it. Dogs and cats sometimes like leftover cooked meat or ends of raw meat that you might otherwise discard. Birds often like things like spilled oatmeal as a treat in their feed.
-
Step 11
What if your food goes bad anyway? One way to salvage things is to start a compost bin, especially if you have a garden. Composting takes things that you can't eat and turns them into wonderful free soil for potting or gardening. Check out the many eHow guides as to how to start a compost bin!
Comments
nonar21 said
on 10/5/2009 Great ideas. 5*