by Texas Homesteader~
Food waste – it’s everywhere! From culls in the grower’s field due to produce that’s the wrong size or shape, to transportation losses, to losses in the grocery store.
And yes, even once that hard-earned money has been plunked down by the consumer to purchase that food, way too much ends up in the trash. But there are many ways to combat food waste.
For instance, many times edible food is thrown into dumpsters by the ton for fear of litigation if a donation were to unknowingly cause someone to get sick. But did you know there is legal protection for those who donate edible food in good faith?
That and many more food waste reduction ideas are listed on my article written for the Mother Earth News, check it out.
Great article and comments on this too – love the hint to save liquids from veggies canned & boiled!! Very smart. Tweet to share the article
Saving the veggie liquid’s something easily done too Debra. By doing that consistently I always have a jar of veggie broth ready to use to cook anything from dried beans to pasta. ~TxH~
I just watched a documentary about food waste. It’s crazy how much good food is wasted. Thanks for sharing on the Waste Less Wednesday Blog Hop!
Yes Katy, and it hurts to see how much is wasted. Not just for our own household but from a world-wide problem perspective. Awareness is key, I think. ~TxH~
That is crazy that people could be sued by making a donation of food to those in need. Good thing there is protection to prevent that. Thanks for linking up to This is How We Roll linky party!
I agree Andrea. Unfortunately not many people know about that legal protection. We all need to get the word out! ~TxH~
Thank you got sharing this important post with us at Good Morning Mondays. Blessings
Food waste is so expensive! When I find something that has gone bad, it upsets me that I wasted my money just because we weren’t organized enough to use it up before it went bad.
…the good thing about being upset about wasted food is that it oftentimes steels your resolve to be more efficient. Like you, I hate food waste and the past failures have made me think outside the box to assure future success. For instance, I’m making endless soup today for a week’s worth of lunches and I’ve decided on cabbage stew. I’m incorporating dehydrated cabbage from a cabbage overflow that I dehydrated early in the year with tomato sauce I’ve just made with a glut of tomatoes given to me. Both overages dealt with (dehydrating & making sauce) and then combined for a delicious result! ~TxH~
I agree wholeheartedly. I store bits and tads of things in the freezer and then every so often I go “freezer diving” and try to be creative. Just last week I issued a “Leftover Challenge” on my blog. Lots of things can be stored away and used as ingredients for a new dish. I even save the liquids that are poured off canned vegetables, including the water that’s left after boiling peeled potatoes, and I never have to buy “vegetable broth”.