Sandra Brackman

Place cut carrots and celery in jars filled with water to keep them fresh, crisp and easy to grab for up to a week. I will properly store 4 veggie snacks.

Store potatoes with an apple to avoid early sprouting. Keep them away from onions and in a cool, dark place. I will properly store 10 potatoes.

To keep berries fresh, place them on top of a paper towel in a sealed container to absorb excess moisture and reduce chances of molding. I will properly store 4 packs of berries.

To keep bananas from browning quickly, break up the bunch and separate. Don’t store bananas with apples, which speed up ripening. If the stems came covered in plastic wrap, do not remove the plastic until ready to eat as this will slow the release of ethylene gas. I will properly store 6 bananas.

Allow green, unripe avocados to ripen on the counter, then transfer to the refrigerator. Once cut, keep the pit in and rub with lemon or oil to reduce browning. I will properly store 5 avocados.

Store apples up to 7 days on the counter, then move them to the refrigerator. Keep them away from bananas and avocados as they speed ripening. I will properly store 4 apples.

20 billion pounds of fruits and veggies go to waste on farms every year, often because they don't live up to the cosmetic standards of grocery stores. Buy ugly produce at the grocery store, farmers market, or sign up for an ugly produce CSA box.

I will plan an Eat the Leftovers night by creating a tasty “smorgasbord" or using a recipe that repurposes leftovers. I will eat 3 meals using leftovers.

Create a shopping list with specific recipes and meals in mind. Purchase only what's on the list when you do groceries.

I will create an "Eat Me First" area in my fridge to prioritize food that needs to be used right away.

I will not toss food once it is past the best buy date. "Expiration" dates misleadingly refer to quality, not safety. Use your senses and best judgement.

I will keep a fridge inventory to stay up to date with what I have in my fridge before I go grocery shopping.

I will donate extra food. If you or your work place are hosting a catered event and have trays of extra edible food, there is no need to toss it. With a little planning your celebratory feast can help feed others.

Use a portion size guide to ensure appropriate portions when cooking. I will cook 1 portion-appropriate meals.

The freezer is your friend! Store any leftover food in the freezer for a quick weekday meal or freeze fruits that are getting ripe to use for a delicious smoothie later. I will freeze 4 food item(s).

I will meal prep 5 meals.

I will use the Guest-imator to plan how much food to make for my upcoming dinner party with 4 guests.

Sign up for the San Diego Food System Alliance Newsletter to stay up to date on what's happening in the region

I'm up for a serious challenge! I will only eat food that has been raised and cultivated within a hundred-mile radius of where I live.

I will source 1 meal(s) each day from local producers.

I will watch 2 Save the Food San Diego videos.

I will compost my food scraps.

Watch this video and get a glimpse of what is actually getting thrown away in our trash cans and dumpsters.

Rescue limpy produce like leafy greens or carrots by soaking in an ice bath.

Give leftovers a new life! For example, use leftover rice to make fried rice. I will try a recipe that repurposes leftovers 2 times.

When life gives you lemons (or any other citrus peels), use the rinds to make a nontoxic cleaner.

Freeze fruits nearing their end and use in smoothies. You can even try freezing avocados (see Resource)!

Missing an ingredient for a recipe? Check this list to find the best substitutes.

For each day during the food waste tracking week, record your food waste. This action accepts one entry per day, so be sure to enter one total for food waste across all of your meals, or weigh all of your food waste once at the end of each day. Please use ounces for unit of measurement.