Food Waste: Reduce
Each year in the United States, 92 billion pounds of food goes to waste, 38% of all food goes unsold or uneaten, 145 billion meals’ worth of food goes to the landfill and 51.7% of waste comes from the food industry. There are so many ways to reduce food waste; meal planning, using leftovers. intentional shopping, preserving in season, gleaning, donating.
Locations
Guide to Floyd Food: Food Pantries
https://floydfoodguide.org/category/food-pantries/
A listing of Floyd-based organizations focused on supplying food to those in need.
NRV Glean Team
1206 Glade Road, Blacksburg, VA 24060
https://www.facebook.com/NRVGleanTeam/
Aims to join efforts to feed the hungry by growing food, gathering excess fresh food from farms, and purchasing bulk potatoes and giving it to food providers.
Resources
Preventing Wasted Food at Home (EPA)
Tips to Reduce Food Waste (FDA)
Meal Planning and Shopping Tips (USDA)
https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/healthy-eating-budget/make-plan
Vegetable Stock from Scraps
Save Your Vegetable Scraps, Make Stock
https://www.seriouseats.com/save-your-vegetable-scraps-make-stock
How to store produce without plastic
https://myplasticfreelife.com/2010/05/18/how-to-store-produce-without-plastic/
The Berkeley Farmers Market has put together a huge list of ways to store produce without plastic.
Additional Information
Meal Planning: create a menu for your weekly meals, base your grocery shopping list on the menu. This cuts down on buying food that might go to waste. Shop intentionally to reduce food and packaging waste.
Use Everything: many unattractive or less popular parts of food are not used. Making soups and stews from less attractive vegetables, and broth from bones and tougher meats is just one of many ways to be more efficient in using food.
Preserving in Season: can, freeze or dehydrate food when it is at peak freshness. Many local farms sell bulk produce, like boxes of tomatoes, so that you can preserve when there is bounty.
Creative Leftovers: bring your own containers to restaurants for taking home leftovers and say “No thanks” to plastic utensils and straws. Pack the leftovers in your reusable lunch box, along with your cloth napkin, reusable utensils and refillable water bottle. Many of these items can be purchased locally at The Refillery.
Make Stock: save those food scraps and make stock! Onion skins, garlic, carrot trimmings, mushroom stems, virtually any vegetable trimming or leftover can be tossed in a container in your freezer until you have enough saved to make a savory base for a rich, hearty soup.
Gleaning: NRV Glean Team harvests excess produce that is grown on a large scale to donate to local food banks.
Donating: many local food pantries accept donations, large or small. Instead of that food going to waste, donate it to those who can use it.
Related Listings
Composting Food Waste
Last updated on November 22nd, 2024