Prevent wasted food; plan meals, stick to the list, freeze, pickle and preserve food, re-invent leftovers, and use your trimmings and overripe fruit for yummy things like soup, smoothies and baked goods.
Prevent wasted food and enjoy the benefits…saving money, time, and resources.
The following resources and information come from the US EPA’s Food: Too Good to Waste Initiative.
Learn more.
Get Smart: Take the Challenge (pdf)
The Get Smart: Take the Challenge tool consists of instructions and worksheets for households to collect and measure how much food they waste over the course of a two- to six-week challenge.
Smart Shopping: Shop with Meals in Mind (pdf)
The Smart Shopping: Shop with Meals in Mind tool provides an easy-to-use template for making shopping lists that prevent food from being wasted. It is designed to encourage meal planning and create awareness around how much food will be needed for upcoming meals.
Smart Storage: Fruits & Vegetables Storage Tips (pdf)
The Smart Storage: Fruit and Vegetable Storage Tips tool is a visual prompt to remind participants how to keep produce fresh.
Smart Prep: Prep Now, Eat Later (pdf)
The Smart Prep: Prep Now, Eat Later tool provides consumers helpful tips on preparing perishable foods soon after shopping.
Smart Saving: “Eat First” Sign (pdf)
The Smart Saving: “Eat First” tool is designed as a visual prompt. Households are encouraged to designate an area in the refrigerator for food that should be eaten relatively soon to prevent spoiling and posting the prompt as a visual reminder.
Fact Sheet: Consider the Tomato (pdf)
31% of fresh tomatoes bought by U.S. households are thrown out—that’s 21 tomatoes a year per person!
Facts on the impacts of wasted food.
Resources
Video Credit: Bay Area Outreach Coalition
Kitchen collection pails available to Monterey Peninsula residents while supplies last. Contact your curbside service provider or your city for locations.