Hey there, Mamas! March is National Nutrition Month® and today is National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day! Hooray!
This year’s theme is “Go Further with Food” and is highly focused on reducing food waste. (Remember, food only gives you nutrition if you eat it!)
The average American wastes 300 pounds of food per year. (That’s 1200 pounds for my family of four!) Much of that can be attributed to buying too much at once. (Definitely a Sam’s Club card-carrying, bulk-buyer here.)
But, food waste doesn’t just waste our money. It wastes all of the nutrients in the thrown out food, as well. Unfortunately, a lot of the wasted food is very nutrient-dense – we’re talking fruits, veggies, dairy, and seafood.
On the bright side, there are a ton of ways we can help reduce food waste.
Maximize Nutrition with Meal Planning
There are several ways that just the single act of meal planning can help reduce food waste.
- Meal planning based on what’s in your pantry or fridge to use up what you already have
- Make a list of what you don’t have and buy only what you will eat or freeze within a few days
- Plan to use fresh foods first for meals and snacks (like some mixed berries and yogurt with breakfast or sliced bell peppers and hummus for a snack)
- Store perishable items in the front of the fridge in a clear container so you remember to use them
This is where my husband and I get in to our friendly disagreements over what constitutes “planning.” He will buy some lettuce, and his plan is to “eat salad.” However, without my more specific planning of WHEN we will eat salad (say, Thursday night for dinner and Friday for lunch), it might go to waste. Sure, it sits in the fridge as an option, but that’s along with other veggie choices that might get picked first. So, my advice for meal planning would be: be as specific as possible.
With kids, it can be tricky to build multiple weekly shopping trips into an already hectic schedule. One up side to multiple shopping trips is that since your list is shorter, it might be easier to squeeze a short trip onto other errands or swing by on the way home from work. Another option is a grocery pick-up or delivery service.
As I’ve mentioned on my Facebook page, getting back into meal planning after the birth of my son last summer has been a challenge for me. I’m working on it every week! I’d love to hear your tips!
Creative Leftovers
So, that pork loin for dinner last night might be a great salad topping or sandwich filling for lunch today. It might work to chop up leftover meat and veggies right away so they can be re-purposed later.
Know Your Food Product Dates
They’re on most products, but what do they actually mean?
- Use By, Best By, Best Before –> You may be able to use these products after the stamped date if they were stored properly
- Sell By –> May be good for a few days after the date, again, if stored appropriately
Safety First
Of course, while we want to maximize our food’s freshness, we certainly don’t want to push it to the point where we have made ourselves or our families sick. Safety is key! If you feel like a food has spoiled, no matter what the date on the package, throw it out. A great resource for food safety is HomeFoodSafety.org.
Some Other Ways to Go Further…
- Combine food groups when planning meals and snacks. You’ll get a wider variety of macronutrients and micronutrients, which will help you to feel fuller longer.
- Watch portion size. Another way to save money and avoid unnecessary calories is to watch poriton size. Paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues while you’re eating can help keep portion sizes in check and help you save money as well. If you’re at a restaurant with larger portions, ask for a to-go box up front.
- Learn how to safely can or dehydrate foods at home for longer shelf life.
- Donate in-date foods that you won’t use.
- Compost food waste.
- Contact a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Find one near you here.
So, how will you “Go Further with Food” this month? What meal planning tips do you use?
*Some information in this post is based off of the National Nutrition Month® Powerpoint, as found here.®