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(HealthNewsDigest.com) -Between 30% to 40% of all food in the US goes uneaten – approximately 20 pounds per person each month. Americans are throwing out $165 billion of food yearly. Getting food to your table every year requires 80% of our fresh water, 10% of our energy, and half of our land. If we are wasting a third of all our food, we are wasting an enormous amount of natural resources as well. On top of all this food is the second biggest component of landfills and landfills are the third largest source of methane emissions. We all are concerned about the planet and how our actions impact the earth that feeds and protects us. Many people, however, don’t realize that the biggest environmental step they can take – not recycling, not buying an electric car, or putting solar panels on their roof – is simply stop throwing food away.
There are a lot of very simple things that you can do to prevent food waste. First, examine your kitchen. Is your pantry chockful? Do your really need 10 packages of pasta simply because they were on sale? Are items pushed to the rear of shelves never to be seen again? Use what you have. Don’t overbuy. And occasionally, at least once or twice a year, dig to the rear of those shelves to see what you have forgotten. If you aren’t going to use it, donate it.
Next check the refrigerator. Is it set at 40oF or lower, but not below 35oF? Check it at least every couple of days. Leftovers should be eaten in 3 days or freeze them. You can freeze small servings of leftovers and on occasion pull out a number of dishes for a buffet supper. Kids love these meals because they can eat a little of many things they enjoy and you eliminate waste. Store food in the fridge in covered containers to slow down spoilage, prevent odors from traveling, and cross contamination. Store fresh fish, meat and poultry on a plate or in a plastic bag to prevent dripping onto other foods.
On to the freezer – the land of forgotten items. Don’t over pack – air needs to circulate to prevent ice buildup. Label and date items you freeze, like leftovers. Try to store like items together so it is easier to see what you have and prevent buying more than you need. Though enormous packages are tempting, like 5 pounds of French fries from the warehouse store, few families actually use up these amounts and often wind up throwing out part of the package after freezer burn sets in.
Buying in bulk is a contributor to food waste. Will you use 24 cups of yogurt before they spoil? Big box stores tempt you with bargains but when you calculate in the waste you may actually be paying more than if you bought a more reasonably-sized amount.
Confusion over food dating accounts for an estimated 20% of food waste. Except for infant formula, food companies are not required by law to date packaged food. You will see many different phrases used for product dating – Sell By, Best If Used By, Expires On, or just a date or a series of numbers. All these systems are either voluntary or a local ordinance. Most help supermarkets with shelving the freshest items. A good example are brand name breads that are often sent to day-old or outlet stores after their use by date. They are still sellable, edible, fresh to use, and cheaper to purchase. The FDA is urging the food industry to make Best If Used By as the standard for dating to show shoppers how long a product will retain its best flavor and quality.
Can you eat a food after its date expires? In almost all cases, yes. Canned and shelf-stable items can most certainly be used after their Best By date as long as the package is intact. Frozen items can be held for a couple more months without a problem. Refrigerated items may only have a week or a few days past their expiration date. The most confusion is created by Sell By. Consumers often discard food, like milk, that passes the sell by date. What they do not realize is that this date provides a buffer between point-of-sale and use. For milk it is usually 7 days. Sell By dates are freshness guides for the supermarket or food companies. Many items with this type of dating are often reclaimed by soup kitchens and pantries as valuable food items for menu planning.
There is a national goal to reduce food waste by 50% by the year 2030. By making an individual effort to reduce food waste in your kitchen, you will not only save money but help protect the environment, too.
For more information on planet-friendly eating check out the Healthy Wholefoods Counter below.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books. Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter – the most up-to-date information on managing diabetes
Calorie Counter – a weight loss guide that won’t let you down
Protein Counter – put the latest protein recommendations to work for you
Healthy Wholefoods Counter – planet-friendly eating made easy
Complete Food Counter – food counts and nutrition information at your fingertips
Fat and Cholesterol Counter – newest approach to heart-healthy eating
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com.