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Cartoon character grilling food purchased after a carefully planned trip to the grocery store

We've all been there. You're at the grocery store- the strawberries sure look tempting so you buy them only to have them spoil in the fridge.

According to the USDA, 30 to 40% of of all food in the United States is wasted. The USDA estimates that this works out to 133 billion pounds of food wasted - and think of all the resources and time lost, too.

This is a big problem that has a simple solution.

Make a plan and then follow through.

By using the food you buy (or grow) and storing it correctly to keep it fresh and safe longer, you can cut down on wasting food.

 

recipes

Rock What You Got: Recipes for Preventing Food Waste (from University of Guelph)

  • Recipe book with storage tips

Love Food, Hate Waste

  • Recipe website from the United Kingdom (so be ready for some metric conversions)

 

There are dozens upon dozens of other recipe websites and cookbooks that focus on food waste reduction. Use your search engine, or visit your local bookstore, and you can find the right recipe guides for your tastes and cooking skills.

Our "Create" page has additional resources about using leftovers and less-than-perfect groceries, too.

 

storage

The Interactive Storage Guide (Natural Resource Defense Council)

  • Learn all the ways to keep your food fresh and safe for as long as possible.

FoodKeeper (USDA)

  • A website and app for food and beverage storage developed by the USDA and Cornell University

Storage Tips (EPA)

  • A simple list of helpful tips

Food Safety Charts (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

  • Charts from FoodSafety.gov about cooking temperatures and storage guidelines

 

HEY, ALEXA

You can enable the Save the Food skill for your Alexa to provide the hands-free assistance in the kitchen for storage, ripeness, and tips on how to revive your food.

 

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