One of the most frustrating things after grocery shopping is when products spoil before you can use them, leading to wasted food and money. To help prevent unnecessary waste, we tried and tested three tips and tricks to get the most out of your food and discovered storage solutions so your groceries last longer at home!
What Is Zero-Waste Cooking?
Do you ever throw away certain parts of your produce when prepping food? Like the woody stalks of kale or the tough ends of asparagus? Certain parts of food are not enjoyable to eat, so they often are run down the disposal. But what if there was a way to use all of the food, even the unappetizing parts? That’s precisely what zero-waste cooking is, and you can do this by repurposing food, composting it, and extending its shelf life.
Repurposing Food
There are many ways to repurpose unwanted ingredients or leftover food, but three of our favorite ways to save them are to make broths, smoothies, and juices!
Broths and Soups
Lemon rinds, asparagus ends, kale stalks, carrot peels, celery ends, and onion peels are perfect for broth! The next time you prepare food, keep some sort of storage container or bag next to you so you can easily toss food scraps into the bag. Store your food scraps in the freezer until you have filled the bag and are ready to make broth!
Juices and Smoothies
Juices and smoothies are great ways to reduce food waste and are excellent sources of minerals and vitamins! A few common produce items that frequently spoil before use are spinach, avocados, and ginger, perfect for smoothies! Refrigerating avocados helps slow the ripening process, but one of the best ways to store avocados for smoothies is to blend them with water and pour them into ice cube trays. As a rule of thumb, if you don’t plan to use fresh produce within a week, toss them into the freezer so you can take your time to eat them.
Composting
Some food leftovers are just too challenging to try and repurpose into another meal, so the next best solution is to compost!
Composting is when unused food gets stored inside a container, allowing bacteria to build so critters like worms, flies, and mites can help break down food into organic matter. The decomposed material is what is known as compost, which is like gold for plants. Compost enriches soil, balances pH, and is a natural fertilizer.
Creating The Best Compost
First, avoid putting meat and dairy products in your compost as they carry harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella.
A few of the best foods for compost are:
- Eggshells
- Fruits and veggies
- Coffee grounds
- Tea bags
- Leaves, grass, and plant trimmings
- Paper shreds and egg cartons
These products consist of nitrogen, which helps speed up the decomposing process. If you want your compost as soon as possible, cut all products into smaller pieces of about 2 inches or the size of your pointer finger.
Next, you will need some sort of paper material to soak up excess moisture from fruits and veggies. Paper shreds, coffee filters, and egg cartons are the best sources for this. When putting everything into your compost bin, it should be about three parts paper to one part produce (3:1 ratio). Once everything is inside, you must mix everything up to allow for airflow, which speeds up the decomposing process. After that, let it sit and let the critters get to work. You should have compost in one to twelve months!
Extending Food’s Shelf Life
The simplest solution and the most frequent mistake is keeping produce in their original packaging. During transit, food gets exposed to many unclean things, so the first thing you should do when you buy produce is give it a good scrub, wash it, and store it in glass containers.
Use best-by and expiration dates as a guide, not as a rule. Companies put shorter dates on food items to avoid any possible liabilities. The best way to tell if food has gone off is to use your five senses. However, if this makes you nervous, use this chart to help guide you through the process!
Check out Ward’s Tips and Tricks For Storing Produce for more food storage solutions!
Reduce Waste By Shopping Eco-Friendly Alternatives At Ward’s Supermarket!
At Ward’s, we have multiple eco-friendly options to help you reduce your waste! The best way to get fresh produce that lasts is to buy locally. When food is shipped nationwide, it gets exposed to outside factors that can speed up expiration and reduce food quality. That’s why we focus on finding local vendors to provide the Gainesville community with the best fresh and seasonal produce. Shop at Ward’s to start your journey for zero-waste cooking!
