Exactly How The #ZeroFoodWaste Movement Is Helping Me Lower All Of My Food Costs

The average American wastes one pound of food daily. You’ve probably heard a similar statistic before, but let’s take that in for a moment: one pound of food per day. Depending on the food item, that is a significant amount of unused nutrition and squandered money:

• 1 pound of fancy dark chocolate: ~$9.99
• 1 pound of peaches: ~$1.99 (seasonally).
• 1 pound of organic grass-fed ground beef: ~$5.50
• 1 pound of freshly ground coffee: priceless

Obviously, food prices vary due to factors including quality and location. The point is, it’s crazy to conceptualize wasted food in this way. If I were to waste one-third of the food I purchased, it would equate to $100 a month based on my grocery budget for two adults. $100 could be used for so much good in one month, and I hate the thought of wasting it on uneaten food.  

In order to reduce my food waste, follow one hashtag on Instagram: #zerofoodwaste. It motivates me to see relatable (not always picture-perfect) food creations with leftovers that people want to eat instead of toss. The pictures inspire me to make a quick 10-minute pasta dish with leftover veggies and proteins rather than ordering in once again. The term “zero food waste” is popular, although misguided, as we will always have some food waste. I’m working on improving my food waste in three areas of my life. My ultimate goal is to have fewer “oh shit this can’t be consumed without becoming ill” moments. Below are a few things that have worked well for me:  

At Home

I whole-heartedly love grocery shopping. I really enjoy cooking new foods, and it is somewhat nostalgic, reminding me of trips to Kroger with my Mom on Sunday afternoons. But loving the grocery store is definitely dangerous when it comes to over purchasing. Here are my at-home rules to minimize my food waste:

• Clean:
  • Keep a functional and organized fridge. This will help you know and SEE what you have on hand.
  • Prep items that you cook with regularity (think vegetables, fruits) and store them in food-safe containers.

• Plan:
  • Realistically plan. Buy what you know you are going to most likely use. I don’t really like kale (gasp!) so I don’t buy three pounds of it in hopes of eating healthier that week.
  • Generally, for me and my partner, this means three meals (we like) ready to go for the week, and leftovers for lunches and quick meals
• Remember:
  • Look at the appearance of food and FREEZE when possible. Make sure to mark and date items, too!
    • A great resource for food safety and freezing techniques can be found here.
  • Do what works for you. I keep a note in my phone of what main meals I have in the fridge and freezer. Also, I take note when I run out of a “staple” in my kitchen. For me, this is spices, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic etc.

Restaurants

Hi, my name is Jaclyn, and I’m an over-orderer. What do I mean by this? When I look at a menu, I want to order it ALL. I’m also (relatively) content with taking a couple of bites of one dish and moving on. Terrible for food waste. Here’s how I’m trying to fix this habit:

• Acknowledge: If you are like me and love tasting and experiencing new menu items, know this about yourself. Having someone who can keep you accountable is also helpful.
• Split: Restaurants are generally okay with you splitting entrees. This is also a great option, considering restaurant portions are usually double a recommend size. Recent splitting win: eggs benedict with my soon-to-be mother-in-law. We also ordered a side of fruit to share. It was the perfect level of richness, and we both cleared our plates.
• Resist: You really don’t need an appetizer and an entrée. Consider choosing one or going for a seasonal soup and appetizer.
• Re-order: If you’re still craving something more, you can always order another item or dessert! Most of the time, I’m stuffed and I’m glad I don’t have another dish on the way.

Work

I work in a traditional corporate office. This generally comes with parties, potlucks, cakes. Simply put: food. Food in the break rooms and common areas for most every occasion. This is a lovely blessing — however, I generally (thankfully) do not need these calories. My food-saving solutions:

• Think: I like to plan ahead and reduce my grocery purchasing if I know I have many lunch meetings/planned meals.
• Share: Cut the damn donut and eat half or (quarter) and let another person take the other.
• Decline: Politely say no, but still participate. Sing happy birthday but stay strong and pass on the cake. Go for it when you want — pass when you don’t.  

These three habits have significantly helped my ability to reduce the number of times I have thrown half a piece of [insert whatever office food] in the trash.

*****

Again, we are all human, and at some point, there will be waste. Taking time to acknowledge my own abundance and opportunity to readily purchase things has been critical when planning and actively trying to reduce my own food waste. It helps me remember to be grateful for the opportunity to purchase foods that I want and in turn consume them to the best of my ability.  

Jaclyn Royer is a registered dietitian working in nutrition policy and food labeling regulatory compliance. She loves a mean Pad Thai or Chicken Tikka Masala takeout and has nearly mastered dupes at home to eat on the regular.

Image via Unsplash

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