How to Avoid Wasting Food at Home

[Editor’s note: At least 25% (perhaps as much as 40%) of all food that’s produced in the U.S. winds up being discarded. Dairy foods and produce are very often what’s thrown out because of their relatively short shelf life. Minimizing waste can help families cut their food budget. Therefore, Shelf Life Advice asked a member of its Advisory Board, Dr. Timothy Bowser, a food process engineer with expertise in waste management, to provide some tips on reducing waste in the home.  This site contains much additional  information on avoiding food waste, especially on ways to delay spoilage by properly storing and wrapping various edible products.]

The number one means of reducing consumer food waste is to “eat it” rather than “treat it” (meaning washing leftovers down the drain or throwing them in the trash). This was  the advice a speaker gave at a  continuing education course presented at a Fortune 500 company (a food processor).

How can consumers ensure that more food is eaten rather than “treated”? Some of my thoughts follow.

Frequently conduct an inventory of your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. Make use of foods that are nearing their expiration dates first. Give away those that can’t be used in time.

Purchase only what you need in fresh ingredients. Bulk packs may be cheaper, but if a significant amount is wasted, then the cost needs to be reevaluated.

Shop for groceries carefully; do whatever it takes to avoid impulse shopping in the grocery store:

1. Never shop on an empty stomach.
2. Resist impulse purchases.
3. Plan meals in advance.
4. Make a shopping list and stick to it.   

Cook with the end in mind. Match the batch size as closely as possible to the amount of food that will be consumed at one meal. How many servings are really needed? Leftovers are often discarded, and this is a major source of waste. If you do deliberately cook enough for leftovers, plan a use for the them to be served the same way at another meal, as an ingredient in a subsequent dish, or even as pet food.

Research new recipes, ingredients, and methods to make cooking more successful and less wasteful. (Examples are purchasing boneless, trimmed meat for a roast or using a plastic baking bag for cooking a turkey. In my opinion, turkeys are easier to cook in a bag and result in a moister, tastier bird. In the end, you have fewer mistakes, more meat consumed, and less waste.)

Experiment with smaller quantities when you are trying out a new recipe. If you don’t like the results, you will have less waste.

Efficiently empty containers. Draining and cleanly scraping the contents of food containers can significantly reduce waste. Keeping a variety of spatulas on hand (narrow, wide, scooped, etc.) can improve the efficiency of container emptying. I like to prop containers upside-down and give them time to drain into dishes, measuring cups, or mixing bowls.

Avoid mistakes that ruin and subsequently waste food:

1. Don’t cook in a hurry.
2. Use a kitchen timer that produces a clear signal to attract your attention, no matter where you’ve wandered off to. 
3. Use a thermometer to check the doneness of food you’re cooking. A thermometer with an alarm to get your attention is even more useful. I  really like the wireless thermometer. I put the probe in the meat smoker outside (transmitter sits on top of smoker and corded probe goes into smoker box) and keep the base unit with the alarm in the kitchen!
4. All thermometers should be calibrated on a regular basis (every year). The temperature reading might never be more accurate than about +/- 5 degrees F for a cheap model or +/- 2 F for a more accurate one.
5. Purchase an accurate thermometer to help you check and calibrate your oven. (Your food thermometer will work if the temperature goes high enough.) Most ovens have a calibration sequence.  Calibration on older models is mechanical:  most require removing the temperature control knob (pull it off), and loosening a set screw (or screws) on the back of the knob that allows you to rotate the dial to the correct temperature. Other mechanical ovens have a set screw that is located down inside the hollow control knob shaft. Newer ovens have digital controls, and most of them have a setup menu that allows the user to calibrate the oven. The setup sequence should be described in the owner’s manual. If you’ve lost the manual, you may be able to download a copy from the manufacturer.
6. Use a toothpick or the fingertip test to check the doneness of baked goods. If the toothpick comes out without batter on it or the fingerprint disappears, the item is done.)
7. Use good food handling practices:  keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold; wash hands frequently; keep food preparation areas clean and neat.

Recycle food oils and grease. Learn the location of recycling centers and how to safely accumulate, package and transport waste oils and grease.

Compost solid waste when possible, and use it for yard, garden, or potted plant soil.

Notice how food is wasted in your home and find recipes or alternative uses for the waste. For example, in my home we frequently find that the last few bananas in the bunch are over-ripe. We decided to peel and freeze (or sometimes freeze with the skin on) these bananas for later use in smoothies. Now we never waste a banana and on occasion look forward to finding them over-ripened.

Share food with others. This activity is not only fun, but it can reduce waste.

FYI:

Here are some examples of pages on this site that provide information on avoiding food waste:

1) by proper storage and wrapping  2) by understanding  “sell by” and “use by” dates:

“It Says ‘Use by Tomorrow,’ but You Don’t Have to”
http://shelflifeadvice.com/content/it-says-use-tomorrow-you-dont-have

“Do Food Product Dates Make Consumers Safer or Just Poorer?”
http://shelflifeadvice.com/content/do-food-product-dates-make-consumers-safer-or-just-poorer

“Leftover Fruit and Veggies? Dehydrate Them for Surprisingly Healthy Snacks” http://shelflifeadvice.com/content/leftover-fruit-and-veggies-dehydrate-them-surprisingly-healthy-snacks

“How to Wrap Foods for the Freezer”
http://shelflifeadvice.com/tips/how-wrap-foods-freezer

“Fresh Vegetables”
http://shelflifeadvice.com/vegetables/fresh-vegetables

For instructions on calibrating your food thermometer, click here: http://shelflifeadvice.com/content/thermometers-two-types-every-kitchen-should-have

If you’re interested in purchasing a wireless food thermometer with an alarm, click here:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Taylor-Commercial-Wireless-Thermometer/13143031?ci_sku=13143031&ci_src=14110944&sourceid=1500000000000003260370 or http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-Industries-ET-901-Wireless-Thermometer/dp/B000FADA48

Source(s):

Timothy J. Bowser, Ph.D.  Oklahoma State University, Dept. of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Digitaljournal.com  “Value of American food waste greater than offshore reserves”
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/295371