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Reducing Food Waste at Home

When this is broken down by type of food, the amount of each food group wasted is:• Proteins—$140 per year

• Vegetables—$66 per year

• Dairy—$60 per year PLAN SHOP COOK• Fruits—$45 per year • Stay organized. Arrange • Buy only what you need. If • Cut up blemished• Added Fat and supplies so the oldest you buy extra food that is or damaged fruit for

Sugar—$37 per year items are in front so you on sale, have a plan for how salads or snack cups.will see and use them first. to use it or how you will• Grains—$22 per year • Add nearly-too-ripe fruit toUse see-through storage store it for future use. yogurt or use in smoothies,

In Iowa, food is the number containers for leftovers. • Check the dates on foods. If muffins, cobblers, or crisps.one source of solid waste in Label, date, and freeze them you purchase meat or other • Create a ready-for-landfills. In fact, food waste in meal-size servings. perishables with a short soup container. Labelaccounts for 20 percent of all • Plan meals and snacks. This use by date, plan to cook or a freezer bag and addwaste being landfilled. 2 Sadly, will help you determine freeze them quickly. chopped broccoli stems,6. 9 percent of residential what you need to buy • Shop the dairy aisle last. cauliflower core, leftover

and ways you can use uplandfilled waste is food in its This will help prevent onion, green pepper,food you have on hand,original, unopened package. the items from becoming mushrooms, or cookedincluding leftovers. Make

Food waste is not only harmful too warm in the cart and vegetables as available. Addleftovers fun by making causing them to spoil faster. them to canned, frozen,to the environment, but it them part of a new dish. or homemade soup.also means wasted natural

• Check what you haveresources and wasted money • Use nearly stale bread for

on hand. Check your French toast, stuffing,for your family. refrigerator, freezer, and breadcrumbs, or croutons.Learn about steps you can cupboard for foods that

take to keep food waste to a minimum in your home.

need to be used up andinclude in your meal plan.

• Plan for leftovers. Forexample, if you are makinga big pot of spaghettion Monday, work it intoyour menu plan later inthe week to be sure itdoesn’t go to waste.

• Make a grocery list. Writethe item and the amountyou need so you buy whatyou can use before it spoils.

• To use up leftover meator beans, mix them withrice, pasta, or vegetables oruse them in soup.

REFERENCES1. United State Department of Agriculture. (2015). Let’s Talk Trash. Retrieved

from https://www.choosemyplate.gov/lets-talk-trash2. Iowa Department of Natural Resources. (2017). 2017 Iowa Statewide

Waste Characterization Study. Retrieved from http://www.iowadnr.gov/About-DNR/DNR-News-Releases/ArticleID/1674/DNR-releases-2017-Iowa-Statewide-Waste-Characterization-Study-food-waste-and-plastics-top-the-list

For more ideas, tips, and recipes go to: spendsmart.extension.iastate.edu PLAN SHOP COOK

Food waste is a big problem in the United States. According to Feeding America, 25-40% of the food grown, processed, and transported in the US will never be eaten. On average, $370 worth of food per person each year is wasted. 1

FOOD STORAGE TIPS Store food appropriately and keep perishable products at a safe temperature. Keep your refrigerator at or below 40º F.

Dairy• Refrigerate all dairy

products within twohours of purchase. Storemilk in the refrigerator’smain compartment; it iscolder than the door.

• Refrigerate all cheeses intheir original packaginguntil opened. Wrap cheesetightly after use to preventmold from growing.

• Milk generally stays freshfor one week after openingif it is kept refrigeratedat 40ºF or lower and thecontainer is closed.

Fruits and Vegetables• Use fresh items first; have

an immediate plan for usingfresh berries, cherries,and salad greens thatcan spoil quickly.

• Freeze fresh fruit if it willnot be eaten soon.

• Store vegetables and fruitsin separate drawers inthe refrigerator to protectthem from bruising andto help control moisture.In general, fruits like lowhumidity and vegetableslike high humidity.

• If you can’t use all yourcooked veggies, theycan be frozen in anairtight container.

Grains• Store bread you will use

soon in an airtight containerat room temperature. Freezethe rest in airtight freezerpackaging and use withinsix months. Storing breadin the refrigerator cancause it to dry out.

• Whole grain products likewhole-wheat pasta andbrown rice can be storedin the cupboard at roomtemperature. Whole-wheatflour is best kept in thefreezer. It can go rancidif it is stored at roomtemperature for too long.

Protein• Eggs will keep in the

refrigerator for three weeks after their sell by date. Store eggs in the refrigerator’s main compartment; it is colder than the door.

When storing fresh meat in your refrigerator, put it on the lowest shelf on a plate. This way if it leaks, juices will not contaminate other foods.

Raw ground meat stays fresh in the freezer for three to four months, larger pieces of meat like steaks or chops will be good for four to 12 months. At 0º F, frozen foods remain safe indefinitely but quality may be affected.

If storing meat more than a month or two, place the store package inside a plastic freezer bag and overwrap it with airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap or freezer paper. Label with contents and date.

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WRAPS “YOUR WAY”INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS1 teaspoon spread, such as low 1. Mix the spread and the vegetables together.

fat mayonnaise, ranch dress- 2. Spread vegetable mixture on tortilla.ing, or mustard 3. Spoon on the meat, egg, or beans and sprinkle on the cheese.

1/2 cup vegetables (shredded, 4. Roll up and eat or wrap in a paper towel and heat in microwave for 30 seconds to sliced, or chopped)(lettuce, melt cheese.tomato, slaw mix, cucumber, onion, carrot)

1 (8 inch) whole wheat tortilla1 ounce cooked sliced chicken

or beef, 1/4 cup tuna, 1 hard cooked egg, or 1/4 cup refried beans

1 tablespoon shredded cheese

Nutrition Facts Servings: 1, Serv. size: 1 wrap, Amount perserving: Calories 230, Total Fat 9g (14% DV), Sat. Fat 3 (15% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholest. 35mg (12% DV), Sodium 420mg (18% DV), Total Carb. 25g (8% DV), Fiber 4g (16% DV), Total Sugars 2g, Protein 15g, Vit. D (0% DV), Calcium (5% DV), Iron (3% DV), Potas. (5% DV).

SERVES: 1 | SERVING SIZE: 1 wrap This publication is a collaboration between the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

This program is funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, EFNEP and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known in Iowa as Food Assistance, provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more visit www.yesfood.iowa.gov.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or status as a U.S. veteran. Direct inquiries to the Diversity Officer, 515-294-1482, extdiversity@iastate.edu.

SSES 25 | February 2018

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