Fight Food Waste
I’m not usually one for New Year’s Resolutions, but a few years ago, we (me and my husband, Matt) set a goal to reduce food waste in our home. We’d fallen victim to buying groceries without a plan, and were losing delicious produce to “The Rotter Drawer” (a name that a family member of mine has for the Crisper Drawer). I hate to waste food and money, so I set to work and have developed a few good tricks to reduce food waste.
Spinach: Last week, I came up with an ambitious recipe plan and grocery list, and didn’t get around to making everything. This recipe for Red Curry Lentils with Sweet Potatoes was on the list, and the spinach was a day or so away from turning into a bag of slime, so I popped it in the freezer. For dishes where you plan to cook spinach, it can totally be frozen.
Just throw it in the freezer in the bag it came in!
Ginger: We’ve been online grocery shopping for the past year or so (#COVID), and the smallest amount of fresh ginger available online is 0.25 lbs. A quarter pound of ginger is SO MUCH GINGER. So, I mince it as small as possible (I don’t bother peeling it) and freeze it. You could freeze little ginger packets wrapped in plastic, or freeze blobs on a cookie sheet and then toss them in a freezer bag or container. This method also works well for things like garlic, fresh turmeric, and chipotles in adobo.
Veggie Scraps: Save them! Put a big ol Ziploc in the freezer and save carrot tops, celery ends, and onion butts and skins until the bag is full. Then, you can make stock (I like this method) to freeze and use when you need it!
3 things I’m loving this week:
If you forgot to thaw (or simply will not be making) your own veggie stock, I think this product tastes better than most boxed veg broths: Better than Boullion Reduced Sodium Vegetable Base
My friend, Jack, recently recommended the book Cooking with Scraps, and it takes reducing food waste to the next level. There’s a banana PEEL cake recipe that I can’t stop thinking about! I’ll report back when I make it!
My mom bought me tasting spoons for Christmas, and I keep them in a little crock by the stove. This ensures that by the time food is ready, there are spoons available to eat it with, especially during soup season. I love to taste as I go!
Do you have a creative way to reduce food waste? Share it in the comments!
Sarah