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Food Saving Tips
Browse or search the tips below to find simple ways to PLAN, STORE, EAT, and COMPOST to make the most out of your food!
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Beautiful Soup
Soup is filling, comforting and can be made with almost anything on hand, including veggies on the edge.
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Thanksgiving Sandwich
A post-Thanksgiving favorite. Don’t forget to incorporate any leftover stuffing and cranberry sauce for a heartier sandwich.
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Homemade Granola
Making granola is easy and can use up a range of pantry leftovers.
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Turkey Soup
Make the most out of your turkey by turning the bones and leftover meat into a tasty and healthy turkey soup.
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Fresh Berries
To keep berries fresh, place them on top of a towel in a sealed container to absorb excess moisture and reduce chances of molding.
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Citrus Peels
Before composting the peel, consider alternative uses for kitchen and household clean-up.
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Bread Crumbs (Video)
Save your stale bread and hard heels for later by turning them into bread crumbs.
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Pasta Frittata
Tired of that leftover pasta? Give it a new life by turning it into a pasta frittata.
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Leftover Mashed Potato Croquettes
Leftover mashed potatoes? Try making these tasty croquettes that reimagine a whole leftover meal.
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Preserved Lemons
A staple in Moroccan cooking, this flavorful condiment is a great way to use up extra lemons.
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Shepherd's Pie
Use leftover turkey or chicken, gravy, veggies and mashed potatoes to make this comfort food classic.
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Asparagus
Storing asparagus in a jar of water can make the difference between crisp vs. slimy stems!
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Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic can last up to 3-6 months when stored properly.
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Supporting Community Through Food
How we can all support the local essential food organizations that help nourish our community.
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Holiday Dinner Planning
Keep your holiday season waste to a minimum by reviewing these planning tips from The Zero Waste Chef.
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Cabbage
Cabbage can keep for up to 2 months in your fridge if stored properly!
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Roasted Tomatoes
Transform your wrinkly tomatoes into this simple side dish that makes use of ingredients you likely already have.
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Hardy Herbs
Woody or hardy herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, and chives, should be arranged lengthwise on a damp paper towel, rolled up, and then sealed in a plastic bag or sealed container. Store in the refrigerator.
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Edible DIY Gifts
Need easy holiday gifts that don’t break the bank, are personal, and will be appreciated?
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Fridge Organization
Where you store different items in the fridge can make a big difference in their overall shelf life. Fridge organization is a must for reducing food waste.
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Pears
For the tastiest pears, keep them on the counter until fully ripe, then, transfer them to the refrigerator to extend shelf life.
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Expiration Dates (Video)
The USDA states that even if the expiration date on your food item has passed, it should still be safe to eat if handled properly until the spoilage is evident.
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Bread
Tips for keeping different types of bread fresher, longer.
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Citrus
Refrigerate oranges and other citrus in a bag for up to 3 weeks. Freeze citrus and zest for recipes.
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Bread Pudding
Turn your stale bread into a delicious dessert.
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Veggie Stock
Keep your veggie scraps and floppy carrots and celery in the freezer to make a flavorful veggie stock in the future.
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Reviving Wilted Greens
Wilted greens such as lettuce, kale, and chard can be revived with a cold water bath.
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Apple Sauce
Turn your extra apples into a delicious apple sauce that everyone will love!
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Winter Squash
Instead of only preparing the amount of squash you need for a certain recipe, prevent waste and save yourself time by cooking up all of your squash at once.
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Carrot Bread
Too many carrots rolling around in your fridge? Consider mixing them into a tasty and healthy carrot bread.
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Apple-Pear Crumble
Use those surplus and wrinkled apples and pears to make a simple and tasty crumble!
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Carrots
Floppy carrots don't need to go into the compost. Use water to bring them back to life and keep them crunchy.
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Reviving Mac & Cheese
Leftover macaroni and cheese can be transformed into a new tasty meal or side-dish.
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All the Vegetables Soup
Turn wilted veggies and greens (including salad greens) into a simple, delicious vegetable soup.
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Hearty Greens
Keep hearty, winter greens, such as chard, kale, collards, and bok choy, in a sealed container in the fridge and don't wash until ready to use.
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Avocados
Allow green, unripe avocados to ripen on the counter away from other fruits, then transfer to the refrigerator. Once cut, keep the pit in and rub with lemon or oil to reduce browning.
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Mushrooms
Keep raw mushrooms in a paper bag or porous container in the refrigerator for the longest shelf life.
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Potatoes
Store potatoes in a cool, dry, dark place or loosely in a paper bag.
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Hero Recipes
Need to clear out some space in your fridge and freezer? Get inspired to use up all those lingering bits and leftovers with a Hero Recipe, designed to put them all to good use.
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5 Tips to Save Food in the New Year
Start the year with these easy tips that can help you save money and make the most of your food in the year ahead.
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Peel It
Don’t forget to remove the produce sticker before composting your peels! These tiny pieces of plastic are a major problem for composting facilities.
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Wildfire Ash on Produce
How to clean wildfire smoke ash off your garden harvest.
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Portion Size
Don’t get left with loads of leftovers- consult the portion size chart and plan accordingly!
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Tomatoes
Keep tomatoes tasty by storing them on the counter, vine side down. Transfer them to the refrigerator when fully ripe.
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Carrot Top Salsa Verde
A new spin on the Italian classic, this salsa uses carrot tops. Great with fish or to drizzle on roasted root veggies.
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Tangy BBQ Sauces from Chef Sarah
Gather your bruised and surplus stone fruit to make these delicious and healthy homemade BBQ sauces from Chef Sarah of The Food Commonweal.
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Egg Test
Not sure if your eggs are still fresh? If the date has passed, they may still be good to eat.
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Leftovers Reimagined Bingo Card
Developed by the StopWaste Schools Team, this bingo activity gives you ideas on how to reimagine your leftovers!
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Smoothies
Smoothies are a great way to use up fruits and vegetables (even those that are past their prime) and other items from your fridge or freezer. Prep everything ahead of time for a quick and healthy snack.
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Cherries
Cherries are fragile and soften quickly, so it best to keep them refrigerated.
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Cranberry Treats
Not sure what to do with all that leftover cranberry? Consider adding it to these tasty treats!
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The Guest-imator
Use this food portion calculator from Save The Food to estimate how much food you need to keep your guests full and happy.
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Long-lasting Produce
Reduce your trips to the grocery store by choosing fresh produce items that naturally keep their quality longer.
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Frozen Herbs
Don’t let your surplus herbs go to waste! Save them for later by making herb cubes with oil or butter.
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Salad Greens
Give those salad greens space to breathe!
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Pasta Primavera
Kids love this quick and healthy pasta dish from the Ends + Stems Hangry Cookbook.
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Strawberry Top Vinegar
Add strawberry tops to vinegar to make a delicious infusion for vinaigrettes, marinades and to brighten up vegetables.
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Shopping Tips
Reducing food waste starts with smart shopping. Adopt these shopping habits to avoid overbuying at the grocery store.
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Fried Rice
Repurpose your leftover rice and clear out your veggie drawer by making a tasty fried rice.
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Ginger
Try some of these simple ways to extend the life span of your tasty and healthful ginger.
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Turkey Sushi
Interested in trying something new and adventurous with your leftover turkey? Try wrapping it up in a tasty sushi roll!
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Fresh Herbs
Store cilantro and other fresh herbs just like cut flowers in a jar with 1-2 inches of water and covered with a plastic bag to maintain moisture.
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Stuffed Bell Peppers
Put that stale old bread to use by making this simple stuffed pepper side dish.
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Big Batch Tomato Sauce
Suit up and sauce on! Late summer is the time to roll up those sleeves and batch cook some sauce, people.
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Prep Now, Eat Later
Prepare perishable foods soon after shopping. That makes it easier to whip up meals later in the week, saving time, effort and money.
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Regrow from Scraps
Some vegetables and herbs will keep on growing if you give them a chance! Try these fun money-saving and regenerating experiments at home.
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Croutons
Save leftover bread from going into the compost bin by turning it into delicious homemade croutons.
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Stone Fruits
The trick to properly storing fresh stone fruit is to make sure they don't get too cold before they fully ripen.
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Onion Rings
Try this fun and tasty way to make use of all those bread crumbs.
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Melons
Melons aren't as hardy as they look. Store them properly to ensure you get the most out of this summer fruit!
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Apples
Keep sliced apples from browning by brushing them with lemon juice. You can also put the slices back together and secure with a rubber band to minimize exposure to the air.
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End of Season Tomatoes
Make summer last by preserving end of season tomatoes with these easy techniques.
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Surplus Fruit Popsicles
Extra watermelon, peaches, and even old fruit preserves can make the tastiest summer popsicles!
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Basil
To keep basil full and fresh, trim the stems and place them in a jar with 1-2 inches of water, just like cut flowers. Store them on the counter and away from direct sunlight.
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Apples
Store apples up to 7 days on the counter, then move them to the refrigerator. Keep them away from bananas and avocados as they speed ripening.
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Pumpkin Apple Butter
Unsure of what to do with all those decorative autumn pumpkins? Try this simple Pumpkin Apple Butter recipe!
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Quick Pickles
Pickles are a quick, easy, and versatile way to preserve a variety of produce.
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Zucchini Recipes
Zucchini is versatile and can be abundant in late summer months.
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Saving Berries
Don't let those surplus berries go to waste. Give leftover berries a new life by freezing, blending, or by making a simple macerated syrup.
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Gazpacho
Whether from your own garden or the supermarket, the season of abundant tomatoes is here. Use them up by making a cooling gazpacho soup that everyone will love.
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Watermelon Salad
This sweet, savory, and spicy watermelon salad recipe is hiding a secret: pickled watermelon rinds!
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Freezing Spinach
Save your spinach from the compost before it gets mushy by freezing it for later.
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Storing and Reheating Pizza
Order too much pizza... again? Here are some simple tips to make it just as good as when you first got it!
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Agua Fresca / Melon Sa Malamig
If your fridge is full of summer fruits and salads with little space for another half melon, try making an Agua Fresca or experiment with the Filipino version, "Melon Sa Malamig", or "Cold Melon Drink".
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Tub It
Keep a small tub near your cutting board to collect vegetable trimmings, then easily dump into the curbside green bin.
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Bananas
To keep bananas from browning quickly, break up the bunch and separate. Don’t store bananas with apples, which speed up ripening.
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Veggie Snacks
Place cut carrots and celery in jars filled with water to keep them fresh, crisp and easy to grab for up to a week. Or, bring limp carrots back to life by placing them in ice water until crisp.
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Dried Apples
Turn your extra apples into a healthy on-the-go snack by slicing and drying them.
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Chef Demo: Reducing your climate impact (Video)
Learn how to prevent food waste at home and reduce your climate impact.
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Line It
Line your pail with a bag to keep things even tidier. Just make sure the bag is compostable.
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Quick Jam
Fruit trees heavy with ripening fruit? Preserve the harvest by making simple jams and jellies to share with friends.
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Healthy cooking for your family and the planet
Watch a fun and interactive virtual event, hosted during Earth Week, to hear from two professional chefs on how you can cook delicious meals that are good for both you and the planet.
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Easy Macerated Berries
Make the most of smooshed berries with a simple macerated berry syrup that can be added to yogurt, toast, pancakes, oatmeal, and other treats.
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Neat News
Line your compost pail with newspaper or a paper bag to minimize any mess. Dump everything into your green bin.
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College Campus Food Waste Reduction Tips
Whether eating in the dining hall or in a residence, there are easy things we can all do to reduce how much food we waste.
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Citrus Juice Cubes
Citrus nearing its end? Before composting the rinds, save the juice for later by making frozen juice cubes!
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Ice Cube Storage
Fridge full of open jars of sauces, cream containers, and other unfinished ingredients you may or may not get to in time?
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Pickled Veggies
Got more raw vegetables than you can use? Turn them into a tasty condiment with quick-pickling.
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Lettuce
Roll unwashed lettuce in a dry towel, then store in a sealed bag in the refrigerator.
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