This summer squash went bad this week. This represents the first time in over 3 months that we've wasted produce from our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) delivery.I feel bad that this went to waste but I do have a bit of an excuse. My husband was replacing our sink and then the faucet didn't work, and to make a long story short, we've been without a sink for 8 days now. And that's made it very difficult to cook, especially to use up all the fresh produce. So it's not as bad as it could have been because I've managed to use most of the rest of the delivery.
Why worry about wasted food? Because the food we all throw away ends up in a landfill contributing to greenhouse gases. Plus, when you buy too much food and let it go bad, you're literally throwing money down the drain.
The website Love Food, Hate Waste is a great resource that explains why you should care, and gives great tips and recipes to help you reduce your food waste. There's also a story about Annette from the U.K., who started keeping a food diary to track her family's waste. She's gone from being shocked at how much they tossed, to wasting almost nothing. She shops with a meal plan, and they use everything up. Annette says they're eating healthier AND saving money. Click here to read the article.
You can track your food waste without taking a photo, but it does help some people to be publicly accountable. Kristen at The Frugal Girl came up with the idea, and it worked so well for her, she invited her readers to join in.
This squash will go in the compost bin, so it wasn't a terrible week, especially considering the state of our kitchen. But I'm determined to waste nothing next week.
How did you do this week? Do you have any tips for wasting less food? I think my best tip is still to BUY LESS in the first place. Please share your thoughts and questions in the Comments section.
4 comments:
oh my goodness, no water for 8 days, then you have done brilliantly to create so little waste.
My food waste is appalling this week; really bad - my cat's been sick and it's amazing how much time this takes which leaves you less to attend to festering food.
Hope the kitchen is back to normal now :)
Mrs. Green- Thanks! Last night after using up the rest of the squash into patties, and having to run to the bathroom about 10 times to wash my hands, I said I wasn't going to cook again until the faucet was installed, even if it meant something going to waste. Then last night the faucet was at our front door (had been delivered by FedEx without our knowledge) and my husband installed it at midnight! We're back in business!
Sorry about your cat, and I hope she/he is better. Definitely more important than the food waste.
Thanks so much for coming by and commenting!
Today I discovered both your blog and The Frugal Girl and can't wait to continue reading them! I started blogging last month on my own journey to be frugal and fit and love finding like-minded people. Just a quick note--I found a recipe for zucchini that also works for summer squash when you don't have time (or have kitchen troubles such as yours) to cook. Use a peeler to slice them into ribbons, dice some onions, and toss with oil, lemon juice and lemon zest (or your fave vinaigrette) and you're done! No cooking required! Well, keep up the good work!!!
jenniwanka- Welcome, and thanks for the recipe! I'm so glad you found my blog, and The Frugal Girl is one of my favorites.
Thanks for reading, and for taking the time to make a comment. And good luck to you on your own frugal journey. There are so many great resources online that make it fun!
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