How to reduce food waste

We often feel like George Banks in Father of Bride

…. tirading in the super market because the number of buns and hot dogs in their respective packages don’t match, and cursing grocery execs for inane decisions (why is everything in plastic?). Except, we get riled up about the servings in a box of pasta. Who decided the standard weight of pasta boxes should be 16 ounces, when 12 ounces is the perfect serving size for 4 people? We just don’t know. But, since we haven’t figured out how to change our grocery system, and prefer not to create a scene on our shopping trips, we’ve collated actionable tips on how to reduce food waste below.

Stick with one pasta shape, one rice, etc.

Our default pasta shape is rigatoni and that’s what we reach for whenever we go shopping. This way, if we have a few noods rolling around the cupboard, we always know they’re the same shape and can be tossed in the pot together. Currently, our preferred brand is Rummo, though DeCecco is also great. The same goes for rice: if we’re not grabbing a pack of pre-steamed grains, we reach for Rice Select’s Organic Jasmati, which is a great, all-purpose, American-grown variety. If your kids are mac & cheese fiends, pick one shape and variety and stick to it.

Compost

The gals over at Meal Better owe a lot to our desire to compost. After all, Grace and Annie became friends when they discovered they’d had nearly identical fights with their then boyfriends about storing compost scraps in the freezer. While Grace and Annie maintained they were merely trying to save the world, their partners accused them of trashing the fridge. Luckily, things have come along way in the nearly 15 years since those arguments, and plenty of municipalities and businesses now offer composting, which is the up-cycling of organic material (produce scraps, eggshells, tea bags, coffee grinds, etc.) into a fertilizer. Here's a handy guide to composting at home, but we also encourage you to look into local services - we’re in the DC area and big fans of Compost Crew.

Make a list

This seems obvious, but reducing food waste begins with your shopping, and a little organization goes a long way. We rely on a shared Inote - that every member of the household can access and add to - to manage our grocery list, so we never have to guess whether or not we need more yogurt or granola bars. If you don’t have Inote, a shared Google doc will also work well. We also find having a standard weekly list - apples, bananas, bread, etc. - helps us avoid impulse buys. Another way to avoid impulse buys is online grocery shopping. We like to shop for produce and proteins in person, but often do a pick-up or delivery order for staples and household items to make sure we stick to our list and don’t run amok in the snack aisle. Bonus: you can do this while watching TV.

Shop your home

Along with prepping a list, we always recommend doing a quick inventory of your fridge, freezer, and pantry before doing your shopping. Turn those leftover tortillas and grated cheese into quesadilla, then complete the meal by pairing them with the black beans languishing in your pantry. Or, defrost that ground meat in your freezer and pair with some marinara for a simple, satisfying meat sauce; BHG offers tips on how to defrost meat quickly and safely - in a pinch, you can even cook proteins from frozen.

Understand your labels

Understanding labels and their meaning is key to minimizing food waste. An overwhelming majority of Americans discard a shocking amount of perfectly edible food each year, simply due to label confusion. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) offers the following guidance:

• A "Best if Used By/Before" date indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.

• A "Sell-By" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale for inventory management. It is not a safety date.

• A “Use-By" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. It is not a safety date except for when used on infant formula.

• A “Freeze-By” date indicates when a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.