3 minute read
Tackle Food Waste With A Few Easy Tweaks
Garrett Dietz
Garrett Dietz is a public information officer in the DNR’s Office of Communications.
The holidays are fast approaching, which usually means families and friends will be gathering around the dinner table to break bread and spend quality time together.
As we gear up to enjoy some potentially larger-than-average helpings, now seems like a good time to discuss how to prevent food waste. And no, simply eating more isn’t the solution (at least, not a sustainable one).
In a recent study, the DNR determined food waste is the top waste being sent to Wisconsin landfills. Nearly 750,000 pounds of food waste and scraps were thrown away in 2020!
Not only is this waste preventable, but it is also a serious environmental concern when thrown in the trash. As food waste breaks down in a landfill, it generates as much greenhouse gas as 592,000 passenger vehicles would in one year. Composting is an environmentally friendly alternative, but prevention saves the most resources.
Help fight food waste with these simple tips when preparing your meals any time of year, but especially around the holidays.
Make a plan and stick to it. Whether cooking a big dinner for extended family or simply prepping meals for the week, making a plan helps ensure you get what you need. Taking inventory of what you already have in the house and creating a shopping list can help reduce impulse buys and repeat trips to the store.
Store food properly. Proper storage prevents food from spoiling and maximizes space. Check out savethefood.com for tips on how to store fresh food or use up the food you've been storing for a while.
Love your leftovers. If you have leftovers, your holiday guests will probably be more than happy to fill up a plate to take home. There are also endless stir fry, soup and casserole recipes online to help use up leftovers. Freezing for a rainy day is also a great option.
Compost what you can’t use. Instead of throwing out scraps or unused foods, consider composting as an environmentally friendly alternative — your garden and our state’s landfills will thank you!
Learn More
The DNR's Waste and Materials Management program offers more tips on reducing and recycling all types of waste commonly generated during the holiday season. Go to the DNR's Recycling and Waste Reduction for All Seasons webpage to learn about waste-friendly shopping choices, what should go in the recycling bin, how to reuse old items and more.
