Maureen Tomb

I will learn about the foods that grow locally and try gleaning or foraging.

I will try root-to-leaf recipes, which utilize all parts of the vegetable, such as beet greens, carrot tops, and herb stems.

I will track the food that my household of 2 throws out so I can learn what we're wasting and why.

I will check to see what will be ready to eat in my garden or CSA box this week and plan recipes that use these ingredients.

When life gives me lemons (or other citrus peels), I will use the rinds to make a nontoxic cleaner.

I will set aside time to prepare meals in advance.

I will learn about food labels and not throw food out just based on the date on the package, but instead check the smell and color to see if it has gone bad.

I will learn about food storage and store food based on best practices to keep it from spoiling before it is used.

I will freeze leftover food items or meals for later. The freezer is my food-waste-reduction friend!

In addition to using up my edible food, I will keep any extra scraps out of the trash by separating them for backyard composting, curbside pickup, or a drop-off program.