As a local farmer’s market, Fiorentino’s Farm Market has a moral responsibility to lessen our impact on the environment. Learning how to reduce food waste in your home not only helps to save you money, but it directly benefits the planet by reducing gas emissions, water waste and landfill overflow. Fiorentino's Farm Market has provided 11 easy ways to help you reduce food waste in your home and save you some money on your weekly shopping trips.
10 Easy Tips to Reduce Food Waste & Save Money
Freeze: Almost anything you cook can be stored in the freezer for a few weeks and used or eaten at a later date. Similarly, overly ripe fruits or wilted vegetables can be frozen then used later in smoothies, soups and other such recipes.Meal Plan: Planning a weekly menu helps to reduce food waste, because you know exactly what you’re eating each day and only buying the ingredients you need for those specific recipes. Meal planning will also help you save money by reducing impulse buys at the store.Write a List & Stick to it: While planning, write a list of the ingredients you’ll need for each meal and bring that list to the store with you. Stick to your list as much as possible. This will ensure you only buy what you need and nothing will go to waste. Make sure you check your fridge & pantry before you go to ensure you’re not buying items you already have!Store Food Properly: Get the most out of your fruits, vegetables and other seasonal farmers market items by understanding how to store them properly. Read our in-depth blog to learn more about produce storage tips.Use your Scraps: Many people believe that the stalks, peelings and other scraps should be discarded as they do not have any use. On the contrary, these items are great ingredients for broths, soups & pesto.Pack your Lunch: Probably the easiest way to reduce food waste & save yourself some money. If you have leftovers from the previous night’s dinner, pack it in a container and bring it with you to work or school for an effortless & tasty lunch.Get Creative: The ability to properly reduce food waste does not always mean re-cooking leftovers and scraps, sometimes you have to get creative! Excess coffee grinds can be used in your garden soil or sprinkled in the grass to ward off mosquitos. Mash up an overly ripe avocados & mix it with some honey for an all-natural hair mask!Keep Inventory: Keep a log of the foods you find you’re throwing away the most, this way you can either avoid buying them altogether or buy much less for future recipes.Customize Takeout Meals: Eating out can account for a lot of food being throw away, but customizing your meal can help to reduce food waste. Be sure to read the ingredients in your meal and if you do not like something simply ask your waiter to omit it from your dish. Similarly, if your order comes with a side that you do not care for, ask if you can substitute it for something else or eliminate it from your meal.Start a Compost: A bit of a challenge to start on your own, but a compost is an excellent way to reduce waste by turning food scraps into fertilizer. Some townships have a community compost pile, call your local municipality to see if there is one available where you live.Share the Wealth: Leftovers that you do not want to freeze and may go bad before you can eat them, share with your neighbors!
Benefits of Zero Waste Lifestyle
The benefits of reducing food waste & practicing a zero waste lifestyle are endless, not only for your wallet, but for the environment. We hope you’ll find these tips to reduce food waste and implement them into your daily life. Even minimal changes in the way you shop and cook can help reduce your carbon footprint.
As a local farmer’s market, Fiorentino’s Farm Market has a moral responsibility to lessen our impact on the environment. Learning how to reduce food waste in your home not only helps to save you money, but it directly benefits the planet by reducing gas emissions, water waste and landfill overflow. Fiorentino's Farm Market has provided 11 easy ways to help you reduce food waste in your home and save you some money on your weekly shopping trips.
Write a List & Stick to it: While planning, write a list of the ingredients you’ll need for each meal and bring that list to the store with you. Stick to your list as much as possible. This will ensure you only buy what you need and nothing will go to waste. Make sure you check your fridge & pantry before you go to ensure you’re not buying items you already have!
Store Food Properly: Get the most out of your fruits, vegetables and other seasonal farmers market items by understanding how to store them properly. Read our in-depth blog to learn more about produce storage tips.
Use your Scraps: Many people believe that the stalks, peelings and other scraps should be discarded as they do not have any use. On the contrary, these items are great ingredients for broths, soups & pesto.
Pack your Lunch: Probably the easiest way to reduce food waste & save yourself some money. If you have leftovers from the previous night’s dinner, pack it in a container and bring it with you to work or school for an effortless & tasty lunch.
Get Creative: The ability to properly reduce food waste does not always mean re-cooking leftovers and scraps, sometimes you have to get creative! Excess coffee grinds can be used in your garden soil or sprinkled in the grass to ward off mosquitos. Mash up an overly ripe avocados & mix it with some honey for an all-natural hair mask!
Keep Inventory: Keep a log of the foods you find you’re throwing away the most, this way you can either avoid buying them altogether or buy much less for future recipes.
Customize Takeout Meals: Eating out can account for a lot of food being throw away, but customizing your meal can help to reduce food waste. Be sure to read the ingredients in your meal and if you do not like something simply ask your waiter to omit it from your dish. Similarly, if your order comes with a side that you do not care for, ask if you can substitute it for something else or eliminate it from your meal.
Start a Compost: A bit of a challenge to start on your own, but a compost is an excellent way to reduce waste by turning food scraps into fertilizer. Some townships have a community compost pile, call your local municipality to see if there is one available where you live.
Share the Wealth: Leftovers that you do not want to freeze and may go bad before you can eat them, share with your neighbors!