Reheat and repeat to beat food waste

Tis the season for family, friends, and food waste, which hits its peak in the United States from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. Mindful food management around the holidays is easier than it sounds. Before tossing out those old taters, take a moment to see if they can be salvaged into a soup. We don’t think about every farmer who watered every potato we eat, but if we did? We’d see farming families in Colorado whose livelihoods rely on water, to feed us, and fulfill national quotas for fresh produce and meats. At the same time, some farming families are making difficult decisions to sustain food security for their households and animals.

Wasting food from your table is equal to wasting water. Tons of fresh water is used to produce food that sadly ends up in landfills. Food that is thrown away, is the single largest category of materials loading up landfills, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. With water conservation more crucial than ever, cutting down on your food waste could help protect valuable resources.

The food waste problem is multifaceted from legislative concerns to modernized practices producing food that creates pollution. To explain further, Tim Carmichael an Academic Coach at Goal High School in Greeley, Colo., is an advocate for reducing food waste, food insecurity, promoting regenerative small agriculture, and he provides agricultural education to students.

“The amazing realizations that are made when young people are exposed to agriculture are fantastic to see. Learning where their food comes from can be a cathartic experience for someone never exposed to food creation and production. When that initial exposure also includes education in urban farming and gardening, young people can connect how they are personally affected by industry standards and practices. In my experience, this creates people that care where their food comes from and where the waste goes.”

Younger generations are increasingly adopting sustainable food waste habits and advocating for food waste and recovery programs. Many kids might just be using their apps and social media to raise awareness about the environmental and social impact of food waste, encouraging others to make mindful choices.

“At a micro level, a change in how we view our eating habits and food in general, as a society, can affect the amount of waste created after the food has been purchased or prepared,” Carmichael noted.

The good news is that we have control over the food waste produced from our homes. Here are a few productive steps you can take this holiday season.

Things to Avoid:

• Overfilling your plate
• Cooking more servings than needed for your exact number of guests (you should have just enough — not way too much)
• Limit impulse food purchases and work with what you have

Things to Try:

• Freeze leftover meals right away and save them for a snowy day in a few weeks, a quiche is great to make, bake and freeze for later
• Uplift your leftovers by getting creative and trying recipes from different cultures to give your taste buds variety
• Don’t let your peels and scraps go to waste, much of it can be used to make rich soils or feed animals (ask a neighbor if they can use it)

Savor the season by transforming your holiday meal leftovers into delightful new dinners. The small actions we take to include sustainability in our traditions, is a gift we can give to future generations.

“As we see more young people embrace the responsibility of reducing waste around them, they spread the hope and possibility of creating a new norm that will serve both our earthly environment and our personal health and well-being,” Carmichael concluded.

This holiday season, let’s make a promise to cherish every bite, share our  abundances, and honor the precious resources that make togetherness at our tables possible.

Editor’s note: Shishido is from Greeley, Colo. He can be reached at http://www.spenceshishido.com.