Joe Hoang

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.

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 glean backyard produce and create a recipe plan for full utilization, i.e. sharing with friends, canning, preserving, etc.

I will plan an Eat the Leftovers night by creating a tasty “smorgasbord" or using a recipe that repurposes leftovers. I will eat 2 meals using leftovers.

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

Store vegetable scraps in your freezer and use them to make veggie stock. I will make this recipe 2 times.

Utilize beet greens, carrot tops, and herb stems to make a delicious pesto, sauce, or dressing. I will try 2 root-to-leaf recipes.

Utilize all parts of an animal. I will try 2 snout-to-tail recipes.

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

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

Purchase local, seasonal produce, which will likely stay fresh longer as it was picked more recently than supermarket produce.

Those who grocery shop on an empty stomach spend 64% more than not-hungry shoppers. Resist impulse buys by shopping with a full stomach. Eat a snack or a meal before going grocery shopping.

Bigger carts make us feel like we need to fill them! Use a hand basket to improve grocery store discipline and prevent over-purchasing.

Grocery shop more often, and buy fresh foods in smaller quantities.

Five bananas for $1 is a good deal only if you eat all five. Many stores offer the sale price even if you buy less than the stated quantity.

Extend the life of your food by trying different preservation strategies like pickling, drying, or jamming. I will try 1 preservation techniques.

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

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