Tracey Ngo
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 799 TOTAL
participant impact
-
UP TO2.0advocacy actionscompleted
-
UP TO2.0documentarieswatched
-
UP TO6.0food itemsproperly stored
-
UP TO2,409gallons of waterhave been saved
-
UP TO35minutesspent learning
-
UP TO48poundsfood waste prevented
-
UP TO100pounds of CO2have been saved
-
UP TO6.0zero waste recipescooked
Tracey's actions
Planning
Date Labels Demystified
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.
Shopping
Shop with Recipes In Mind
Create a shopping list with specific recipes and meals in mind. Purchase only what's on the list when you do groceries.
Shopping
Skip the Cart
Bigger carts make us feel like we need to fill them! Use a hand basket to improve grocery store discipline and prevent over-purchasing.
Planning
Fridge Inventory
I will keep a fridge inventory to stay up to date with what I have in my fridge before I go grocery shopping.
Cooking
Save the Peels
When life gives you lemons (or any other citrus peels), use the rinds to make a nontoxic cleaner.
Cooking
Food Preservation
Extend the life of your food by trying different preservation strategies like pickling, drying, or jamming. I will try 3 preservation techniques.
Cooking
Repurpose Leftovers
Give leftovers a new life! For example, use leftover rice to make fried rice. I will try a recipe that repurposes leftovers 3 times.
Planning
Eat Me First
I will create an "Eat Me First" area in my fridge to prioritize food that needs to be used right away.
Storage
Berries
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 1 packs of berries.
Storage
Bananas
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 5 bananas.
Food Waste Tracking
Food Waste Tracking
Ready. Set. Record!
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.
Shopping
Keep it Local
Purchase local, seasonal produce, which will likely stay fresh longer as it was picked more recently than supermarket produce.
Shopping
Support Imperfection
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.
Shopping
Shop More Often
Grocery shop more often, and buy fresh foods in smaller quantities.
Community
Dumpster Diving Discovery
Watch this video and get a glimpse of what is actually getting thrown away in our trash cans and dumpsters.
Community
Watch John Oliver Food Waste Episode
Watch a Last Week Tonight with John Oliver episode on the topic of food waste and learn about the scope and scale of the issue.
Cooking
Fruit Smoothies
Freeze fruits nearing their end and use in smoothies. You can even try freezing avocados (see Resource)!
Cooking
Revive Limpy Produce
Rescue limpy produce like leafy greens or carrots by soaking in an ice bath.
Cooking
Swap This for That
Missing an ingredient for a recipe? Check this list to find the best substitutes.
Community
Compost
I will compost my food scraps.
Food Systems
Advocate for More Food Options
I will advocate for local and/or organic food options at work or on campus.
Community
Policy to Action
I will read about about state and federal legislation that can impact food waste reduction and recovery.
Participant Feed
Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.
To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?