Throwing away too much food? So you can put it to good use!
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Food waste is a disaster in the United States, with billions of pounds of food being thrown away every year. Feeding America shows that $ 161 billion worth of food is wasted each year, accounting for 40 percent of all food in America. These amazing statistics call for urgent action to prevent food waste by adjusting some food preservation habits. Avoiding food waste begins with taking responsibility for how you manage the food you consume to avoid it being thrown away excessively. Buy just enough for consumption / storage to avoid disposal. There are also many helpful ways to make use of food waste if it's not possible to dispose of it completely, including:
1. Make a soup
Vegetables are common ingredients and will likely end up on your shopping list every time you go to the supermarket. An oversupply of this common commodity is typical in kitchens, resulting in waste when you have to throw away the unused portions. Instead, consider turning the not-so-fresh vegetables into soup for a sumptuous meal. Vegetables make for nutritious soups. You can also add leftover meat scraps, bones, pasta, etc. for more flavor. The broccoli stems and stems that you typically throw away can find their way into a stockpot and turn into a meal. Invent a nutritious recipe and avoid waste.
2. Reuse
Some food waste can be turned into a non-food item instead of being disposed of. Edible oil is an example of food waste finding new uses instead of dumping and damaging the environment. UCO is a billion dollar industry that is being converted to biodiesel to power heavy machinery and vehicles. You can start collecting used cooking oil and identify collectors who are happy to pay for it. Banana peels also turn into a cleaning device for plants. You can rub the soft side of the peels on the leaves to lighten them and remove dust. Leftover food is a source of garden manure. Store the food waste and have it composted to enjoy a garden in bloom.
3. Make jam
Leftover fruit can be cut into pieces and turned into delicious jam. For the jam, boil the remaining fruit, strain and bring to the boil with sugar and lemon juice. Pour the cooked broth into glasses and save for later. The result is a delicious and healthy jam spread for toasted bread or as a garnish for your pastries.
4. Let vegetables grow back
An innovative way to reduce waste and optimize food consumption is to regrow your vegetables. Make a home experiment by placing vegetable stalks in water and watching them start growing in a few days – the once boring-looking discarded vegetable stalk sprout into luscious green pieces, adding to your vegetable servings. You can also plant the vegetable or fruit seeds and have your own garden supply of your favorite vegetables and fruits. One benefit of gardening is that you only pick enough for your meals, which avoids the waste associated with bulk shopping.
5. Fry the stems
An alternative to soup made from waste vegetables is sautéing. The vegetable stalks are ideal for this cooking method as it makes them softer to eat and gives them a good taste. To sauté the vegetables, use a small amount of butter or oil in a shallow pan over high heat. Cook the vegetables for 3-5 minutes on each side and the meal is ready. Sauteed vegetables add flavor to otherwise bland meals and also have nutritional value. You can add more vegetables to your kitchen inventory and spice up meals with ingredients that would normally be wasted.
6. Make croutons
When bread gets stale it is natural to throw it in the trash can. You can avoid this waste by making croutons from stale bread. Croutons are re-baked bread and a popular addition to salads. For this delicacy, cut the stale bread into small cubes, toss in olive oil, season and bake. Seasonings add flavor to the croutons, and you can eat them as snacks to avoid unhealthy processed foods.
Reduce waste, discover new dishes
There is no better reward than making culinary discovery and reducing food waste. The days of boring, everyday meals are over when you cook delicacies that otherwise end up in the trash. You can purposely reduce food waste whenever the opportunity arises, and over time it becomes a habit. You also live with a cleaner conscience by not contributing to food waste and by appreciating more the foods you have.
