Welcome back! Can you believe we are just over a week into March. I probably put this off long enough. Did you know March is National Nutrition Month ®? This year, we’re focusing on ways to “Go Further with Food.”
But what does that really mean? Trust me, I asked myself the same question at first. First and foremost, going further with food is meant to encourage healthy eating habits. Incorporating just a few new tweaks into your daily routine can help you go further with food. Try a few of these tips to get the most out of your food while establishing healthy eating patterns:
- Be mindful of portion sizes – Remember the palm of your hand is roughly 4 ounces, your thumb a tablespoon, your fist a cup, etc.
- Order small sizes – Try ordering a half portion at your favorite restaurant, a small drink at your favorite coffee shop, or split a full order with your friend.
- Utilize to-go containers – Ask for a container when you receive your meal. Place half of the portion in the box and save for later.
- Buy what you need – Only buy the food you can use up in a few days. Try freezing foods you may not get to.
- Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ database to find a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in your area.
In addition to improved eating habits, the goal of the year’s National Nutrition Month ® is to reduce food waste. I am beyond ecstatic about this, you may or may not have heard this has been a goal for my household this year. After my “come to Jesus” moment a few months ago, I’ve been much more diligent about using up my food. I’ve done my best to eliminate tossing expired containers, moldy produce, or forgotten leftovers.
Did you know, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, 30-40 percent of the nation’s food supply is wasted. This means wholesome, nutritious food is sent straight to the landfill. In addition to food being wasted, our nation is wasting labor, energy, water, and land resources. But, this can happen for numerous reasons:
- Grocery stores throw out “ugly” produce
- Not finishing your plate and throwing out the rest
- Buying too much food throughout the week and letting it spoil
- Mechanical damage from farming equipment
- Loss of food to disease or pests
- Remnants from peeling, juicing, or dicing foods.
As I touched on earlier, food wastes is not just waste of food, nutrients and calories. It allows us to use up valuable labor, energy, water, and land resources. Furthermore, if we get down to it, it wastes your money. So what can we do about it? Continue reading below for tips to prevent food waste:
- Be Mindful – Consider what you will actually use throughout the week. I often find meal planning helpful. Sit down the day before you head to the grocery store. Write down your meals and the ingredients you need for each. This allows you to know exactly what you need on hand.
- Stick With the List – Go in with your plan and buy only what you need. This ensures that what you purchase is used up during the week. If needed, make smaller, more frequent trips to the grocery store. For more meal prep tips, click here!
- Understand the Dates – Skip the product date confusion. These dates are provided to inform the consumer the best quality timeline. When stored properly, “Use by”, “Best by” and “Best Before” dates are safe beyond the date provided. “Sell by” dates are used for perishable items. Some of these foods can be used 2-3 days after the date with proper storage.
- Buy Locally, Buy Seasonally – Consider buying local or in season produce when possible. In season, local produce tends to stay fresh slightly longer. In addition, local produce utilizes less energy and labor resources to get into your fridge!
- Bulk Buy, Sometimes – Purchase shelf stable items in bulk. Bulk packaged foods tend to have less packaging and less packaging means less waste. One way I incorporate bulk buying into my routine is through large bags of dried beans. I throw a few cups in a slow cooker during the week for ready to use beans.
- Freeze Up – Freezing is one of the best ways to save your produce. Sometimes life gets in the way and we forget about our fruits and veggies. If your produce only has a day or two of life left, I recommend throwing them in the freezer to use when you have time. One of my favorite things to store is peppers and onions. When you bring them home, chop them up and store in an airtight container. They won’t go bad as quickly and they are easy to grab for cooking. Furthermore, this is a really great guide for preparing different fruits and vegetables for freezing.
- Recycle Scraps – Did you know scraps don’t have to end up in the trash. There are many ways to up cycle your unwanted scraps.
-
- Make Stock – Use old bits and pieces of carrot, potato, onion, or celery to make stock. You kind find a tasty vegetable stock recipe here!
- Let It Grow – Some scraps can be regrown at home! My favorite items being green onions and garlic.
- Savor the Flavor – Use apple peals to up your green tea game.
- Portion Control – Cook up what you need. Making food for two? Don’t serve up enough to feed a soccer team. Also, try to make enough for that meal plus a set of leftovers if need be (but only if you’ll eat the leftovers up). These bento-boxes are perfect for packaging up leftovers!
- FIFO – For the less-than-business savvy readers, FIFO means first in, first out. Use this method to use up older food first. It helps to store older food towards the front of the fridge and newer towards the back.
- Donate – Have food you don’t want to use? Offer unspoiled, perishable or non-perishable food to your local pantry or donation center.
- Track It – As previously suggested, track your waste. Monitor what you are wasting and why. Lastly, use this information to make more informed purchases at the store in the future.
Well, do you have any more tips for reducing food waste? What are your thoughts on this year’s National Nutrition Month ®? Comment below, I’d love to hear about them. Looking for more tools to help go further with food? Check out some of our favorite products below!
