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Valerie lough's avatar

Valerie lough

County of San Diego

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 601 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    15
    food items
    properly stored
  • UP TO
    944
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    19
    pounds
    food waste prevented
  • UP TO
    39
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    11
    zero-waste meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    16
    zero waste recipes
    cooked

Valerie's actions

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food Systems

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

I will watch 1 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Cooking

Save the Peels

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Cooking

Revive Limpy Produce

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

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Cooking

Food Preservation

Extend the life of your food by trying different preservation strategies like pickling, drying, or jamming. I will try 2 preservation techniques.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 2 times.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Cooking

Swap This for That

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Cooking

Veggie Scrap Stock

Store vegetable scraps in your freezer and use them to make veggie stock. I will make this recipe 1 times.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Storage

Nuts

Without the shell, nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pecans can stay in the freezer for 2 years or more. Pack into tinted zip-top freezer bags and freeze. I will properly store 2 bags of nuts.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Storage

Leafy Greens

Roll unwashed lettuce in a dry towel, then store in a sealed bag in the refrigerator. I will properly store 2 leafy greens.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Storage

Apples

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 1 apples.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Shopping

Tap the Salad Bar

For recipes that call for small amounts of different vegetables, shop at the salad bar to get exactly what you need.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Shopping

Scrutinize Deals

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.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Shopping

Eat Before Shopping

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.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY 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.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Planning

Gleaning

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Planning

Eat the Leftovers

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Planning

Portion Planning

Use a portion size guide to ensure appropriate portions when cooking. I will cook 2 portion-appropriate meals.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Planning

Befriend the Freezer

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 5 food item(s).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Planning

Meal Prep Mania

I will meal prep 5 meals.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Storage

Avocados

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 2 avocados.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Storage

Asparagus/Celery

Trim the ends of asparagus and place them in a jar or glass with 1-2 inches of water, just like fresh cut flowers. Keep them in the refrigerator. I will properly store 1 bunches of asparagus/celery.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Storage

Fridge Demystified

Did you know that milk should never be stored in the side door of a fridge? Learn where to properly store food in your fridge by checking out the Resource. I will properly store 1 cartons of milk.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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?