According to the USDA, America wastes between 30% and 40% of the food it produces every year. This includes not only the slimy lettuce in your crisper but pervades the entire food supply and amounts to some 133 billion pounds of food worth about $161 billion dollars (2010 data).
There is not much you can do about food waste on the farm, in transit, processing or retail stores. But here are 5 things you can do to minimize wasted food in your own kitchen.
1. Revive wilted greens and limp veggies by letting them soak in ice water for about 10 minutes right before using them.
2. Store leftovers in clear containers and store them toward the front of your fridge so that you see them every time you open the door. Seeing them often makes it much more likely that you will use them before they go bad.
3. Greens like spinach and kale that are on the verge of spoiling can be steamed or sauteed in a little olive oil or butter and will taste good as new.
4. You can freeze many things that you probably never thought you could, such as milk, bread, butter, cheese, beaten eggs, nuts and just about any sort of fruit. Store individual portions in plastic freezer bags or containers.
5. Shop smarter. Don't buy things you just end up throwing away. Plan your shopping and work from a list. You probably don't have to buy the maximum amount in order to get the promotional price.
Every bit of food you do not throw away is money in your pocket.
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