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Lindsey Countryman's avatar

Lindsey Countryman

Wedge Community Co-ops

"On a lifetime journey to live low impact & share my love of DIY, repurposing, and recycling ♻️🌎💚"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 187 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    7.2
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    6.0
    locally sourced meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    13
    zero-waste meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    3.4
    pounds
    food waste prevented
  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    1.0
    conversation
    with a person

Lindsey's actions

Storage

Create an Eat First Area

I will create an "Eat First" area in my fridge to prioritize food that needs to be used right away for my household of 2.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Send it Down the Grape Vine

I will talk to 2 family members or friends about my experience with this challenge, food waste, and what I have learned.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Shopping

Eat Before Shopping

I will resist impulse buys by eating a snack or meal before going grocery shopping. Those who grocery shop on an empty stomach spend 64% more than not-hungry shoppers.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Planning

Make Time for Meal Prep

I will set aside time to prepare meals in advance.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Shopping

Support Imperfection

I will intentionally buy ugly produce at the grocery store, farmers market, or sign up for an ugly produce CSA box.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Planning

Sign up for Fridge Check Fridays

will sign up for Fridge Check Friday emails, sent by Hennepin County but open to everyone, to prompt me to check my fridge for food that needs to be used up and for hacks on storing food to keep it fresh.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Shopping

Buy From A Farmers Market

I will purchase produce and meat directly from a local farmers market and make 3 meals.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Planning

Plan a Leftovers Day

I will plan a meal to use up leftovers by creating a tasty smorgasbord or using a recipe that repurposes them.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Watch a Documentary About Food

I will watch 1 videos or documentaries to learn about the scope and scale of food waste in this country.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.

To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?


  • Lindsey Countryman's avatar
    Lindsey Countryman 8/21/2024 9:21 AM
    over the weekend I made a cucumber tomato salad with miso sesame dressing. I'm proud because not only was it a delicious salad packed with umami flavor, but the produce was rescued from the cull bin at the co-op where I work. AND, I tossed some fresh greens on top of the remaining cukes & dressing and brought that as my lunch today! :D How's that for a triple threat?!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Storage Create an Eat First Area
    What kinds of food are on your Eat First shelf? Has creating an Eat First area helped you reduce food waste?

    Lindsey Countryman's avatar
    Lindsey Countryman 8/21/2024 8:54 AM
    This is such a simple shift in behavior, yet one that will make a major positive impact at my house. My partner and I just agreed on this area in our fridge last week, and already we've eaten three containers of leftovers! I know this will be a great step in our food waste reduction journey!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Watch a Documentary About Food
    Have you ever thought about food going to waste on this scale before?

    Lindsey Countryman's avatar
    Lindsey Countryman 8/13/2024 3:04 PM
    I watched "Wasted: The Story of Food Waste", and it was so well done. It certainly expanded my food waste musings and I learned about thoughtful and effective efforts to reduce food waste. I expected it to be doom and gloom- to hold a mirror up to the most wasteful habits that we humans have become accustomed to and fill me with existential dread & guilt for being privileged with excess. Instead, it highlighted change makers all over the globe and the innovations being enacted by ordinary yet concerned people, motivated by lessening waste, feeding more people & animals, and making the most of the limited resources we have.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Shopping Support Imperfection
    Would you be more willing to buy produce with a few imperfections at your grocery store? Why or why not?

    Lindsey Countryman's avatar
    Lindsey Countryman 8/13/2024 2:44 PM
    I work for a food co-op, so I'm fortunate to have access to a ton of fresh, local produce. Whenever produce items are pulled from the shelves due to bruises, imperfections or a little mold, I start there before doing my grocery shopping. Yesterday I got a full container of beautiful baby kale that was one day past the "best by" date on the package, and today I rescued 2 perfectly imperfect English cucumbers out of the cull bin. I'm going to make a sesame cucumber kale salad tonight!