Tips by FLIK for Reducing Food Waste
April is Earth Month and April 28th is Stop Food Waste Day. If you’ve been wanting to up your game when it comes to the food your household wastes, read on: FLIK is here to share some tips for keeping your food waste in check, so that you’re not like the average American family, spending $1,866 on food annually, that ends up in the trash – that’s like buying groceries, and not bringing them home!
Map Out Your Meals
Plan out your meals and snacks for the week. Take leftovers and restaurant meals into consideration; don’t shop for seven dinners, if one night a week you get take-out, and another night you enjoy leftovers of said take-out. Include dishes that are both easy to freeze and re-heat, like soup, stew, casseroles, meatballs, meatloaf, and burger patties; the plan here: cook once, enjoy twice (or more!).
Stick to the List
Once your meals are planned for the week, create your shopping list. Now that you have a list, stick to it! Buy what you need, and avoid letting unnecessary extras end up in your cart – those items often end up in the trash. And be sure to read the fine print when it comes to sale pricing; getting the best deal is wasted if that extra food just ends up in the trash.
Cook Root-to-Stem
Get the most utilization out of every ingredient. After enjoying your kale salad, turn the stems into Kale Stem Pesto. Don’t waste the edible stalks of broccoli or cauliflower, make this delicious Stem Slaw. Freeze peels and scraps; when you have enough, make broth. And check out our sustainable FLIK to Stem cooking videos for more utilization inspiration.
Become Friends with Your Freezer
Before you toss your leftovers in the trash, or before you realize something is about to spoil before you can eat it, ask yourself: “Can I freeze this?” This answer is most likely “Yes!” Stock your kitchen with freezer-safe bags and containers to freeze food with confidence. Then, incorporate those frozen items in next week’s or month’s meal planning.
Consider Composting
For the remaining inevitable food waste (banana peels, eggshells, tomato cores, pineapple tops, etc.), consider composting over trash, as anything in a landfill, even food, leads to greenhouse gas emissions. Start your own compost or research to find community composting opportunities where you live.
We hope these tips inspire you to reduce the food your household wastes. Need more tips? Check out these blog posts:
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At FLIK Hospitality Group we believe in great food, great service, and great people. Our wellness first approach ensures our food supports healthy and delicious choices, specially curated by our team of culinary experts and registered dietitians. At FLIK, we believe in seasonality in sourcing our ingredients and providing a customized approach to the culinary and hospitality needs of each client. Our dedication to providing quality hospitality service is unparalleled in the industry.
Have feedback or questions for our team? Email us at flikblog@compass-usa.com.
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