{"id":25632,"date":"2025-08-27T22:44:56","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T05:44:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/?p=25632"},"modified":"2025-11-19T16:37:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T00:37:16","slug":"food-waste-prevention-resources-and-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/2025\/08\/27\/food-waste-prevention-resources-and-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Waste Prevention Resources and Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Resources<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/savethefood.com\/\">savethefood.com<\/a><br><\/strong>One of the best food waste prevention sites out there. Free meal planning and prep tools and a lot of great info and ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skagitgleaners.org\/\"><strong>skagitgleaners.org<\/strong><\/a><br>Skagit Gleaners \u2013 Get local food for free that would otherwise go to waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toogoodtogo.com\/en-us\/user\">Too Good To Go<\/a><br><\/strong>Too Good To Go is the app that lets you rescue unsold food at your favorite spots from an untimely fate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skagitcounty.net\/Departments\/publicworkssolidwaste\/compost.htm\">HOME COMPOSTING (skagitcounty.net)<\/a><br><\/strong>Learn how to compost your scraps!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buysalvagefood.com\/index.html\">Buy Salvage Food<\/a><br><\/strong>Learn where you can buy discounted food in your area that would otherwise go to waste!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/recycle\/preventing-wasted-food-home\">Preventing Wasted Food At Home | US EPA<\/a><\/strong><br>Many good tips on how to prevent food waste and use food more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2073\/2024\/02\/Copy-of-FWP-week-5.png\" alt=\"Food waste adds up, know the cost and take the pledge\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLScTP6CJLDvjIqToTjWLpsBmEn2F5LKUfzVHoDkOEbjyCXdmXA\/viewform?usp=pp_url\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Here is our collection of tips<\/strong> <strong>that can help you reduce food waste!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Our favorite tip:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine\u2026 during your trip to the store, you pass the produce section and start thinking you should probably buy some veggies because you need to start eating healthier. You buy some nice-looking beets and take them home with you and feel pleased with your healthy choice. The beets sit on your counter for months because honestly, you have no idea how to prepare beets.<br>Wasted money, wasted food, and wasted counter space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to eat healthier or try new foods, pick out a recipe online you feel excited to make, and add the ingredients to your shopping list. Then you have a clear plan of how you are going to use a new ingredient and it makes it much easier to use up that perishable food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to teach your children about the importance of eating healthy?<br><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/healthy-harvest-for-kids\/\">Check out our collection of easy and fun recipes to help spark their imagination!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/healthy-recipes\/\">Check out our other healthy recipe resources here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Storage tips<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Properly store fruits and vegetables for maximum freshness; they\u2019ll taste better and last longer, helping you to eat more of them before they go bad.\n<ul>\n<li>Most veggies, especially those that could wilt (such as leafy greens, carrots, cucumbers, and broccoli) should go in the high humidity drawer of the fridge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most fruits, as well as vegetables that tend to rot (such as mushrooms and peppers), should go in the low humidity drawer of the fridge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some fruits (such as bananas, apples, pears, stone fruits, and avocados) release ethylene gas as they ripen, making other nearby produce ripen, and potentially spoil, faster. Store these away from other produce.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wait to wash berries, cherries, and grapes until you\u2019re ready to eat them to prevent mold.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some produce, such as potatoes, eggplant, winter squash, onions, and garlic, should be stored in a cool, dry, dark, and well-ventilated place.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make sure you are properly storing food in your refrigerator.\n<ul>\n<li>The refrigerator door is the warmest part of the fridge. You can store condiments there, but it is not recommended to store milk or eggs in the door.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The lower shelves are the coldest part of the fridge. Store meat, poultry, and fish here.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Refrigerators should be set to maintain a temperature of 40 \u00b0F or below.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Store grains in airtight containers and label containers with contents and the dates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Befriend your freezer and visit it often. Freeze food such as bread, sliced fruit, meat, or leftovers that you know won\u2019t be eaten in time. Label with the contents and dates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cooking and Preparation Tips<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Produce that is past its prime, as well as odds and ends of ingredients and leftovers, may still be fine for cooking. Repurpose these ingredients in soups, casseroles, stir fries, frittatas, sauces, baked goods, pancakes, or smoothies. You\u2019ll avoid wasting these items and may even create new favorite dishes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If safe and healthy, use the edible parts of food that you normally do not eat. For example, stale bread can be used to make French Toast or croutons, beet greens can be saut\u00e9ed for a delicious side dish, and vegetable scraps can be used for soup stock.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Learn the difference between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fsis.usda.gov\/food-safety\/safe-food-handling-and-preparation\/food-safety-basics\/food-product-dating\">\u201csell-by,\u201d \u201cuse-by,\u201d \u201cbest-by,\u201d and expiration dates<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aim to cook and serve the right portions for the number of people you are feeding.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Freeze, pickle, dehydrate, can, or make jam\/jelly from surplus fruits and vegetables \u2013 especially abundant seasonal produce.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don\u2019t leave perishable food at room temperature for more than two hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers in clear, labeled containers with dates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Preventing Food Waste in the Home<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Keep a running list of meals and their ingredients that your household already enjoys \u2013 that way, you can easily choose, shop for, and prepare meals that you are likely to consume.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Look in your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry first to avoid buying food you already have. Make a list each week of what needs to be used up and plan upcoming meals around it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plan your meals for the week before you go shopping and buy only the things needed for those meals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make your shopping list based on how many meals you\u2019ll eat at home. Consider how often you will eat out, if you plan to eat frozen precooked meals, and if you will eat leftovers for any of your meals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include quantities on your shopping list noting how many meals you\u2019ll make with each item to avoid overbuying. For example: \u201csalad greens \u2013 enough for two lunches\u201d.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Buying in large quantities (e.g., buy one, get one free deals) only saves money if you use all the food before it spoils.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Buying food from bulk bins saves you money and reduces food waste and packaging if you purchase the amount of food you need. When buying in bulk, remember to store food properly in airtight, labeled containers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Purchase imperfect produce or upcycled products. Imperfect produce may have physical imperfections but is just as safe and nutritious and can sometimes be found at discounted prices. Upcycled products are made from ingredients that might have otherwise gone to waste.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contribute tax-deductible donations. Donating food to non-profit charities that benefit people with food insecurity can help reduce food waste, feed the poor, and lower your tax payment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n        <div id=\"cahnrs-back-to-top\" class=\"cahnrs-back-to-top\" hidden aria-hidden=\"true\">\n            <a id=\"cahnrs-back-to-top-btn\" class=\"cahnrs-back-to-top__btn\" href=\"#product-top\" aria-label=\"Back to top\">\n                <span class=\"cahnrs-back-to-top__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2191<\/span>\n                <span class=\"cahnrs-back-to-top__label\">Back to top<\/span>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Resources savethefood.comOne of the best food waste prevention sites out there. Free meal planning and prep tools and a lot of great info and ideas. skagitgleaners.orgSkagit Gleaners \u2013 Get local [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":281,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_external_link":"","_expiration_date":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25632"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/281"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25632"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25632\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25633,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25632\/revisions\/25633"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/skagit\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}