Sunday night I served both a green salad and mixed vegetables for supper. Earlier in the day, we munched on popcorn and golden delicious apple slices. Three of my minimum five a day with one meal and a snack. I was feeling good about my role as mom, as homemaker. Roll forward to Monday when DD2 ate frozen waffles, cut in sticks for dipping in syrup. I ate the last one in the box, smeared with cream cheese, washed down with coffee-lots of coffee. I left (forgot) my lunch at home so ended up eating a reserve can of chunky chicken and dumpling. Sort of included one serving of veg, but a stretch. While I pushed the veggies on DD2, a few leftover from Sunday night, plus she ate an apple while doing her homework, I might have got a grand total of two complete servings. We like vegetables in our family. We really like fruit in our house. Why then is the struggle real to get these servings into our meals on so many days?
Of all the food waste, my biggest victim is fruit and vegetables. I find bits left in a bowl, shoved to the back of the fridge. Odd carrots, salad fixings, and apples stuck in the back of the crisper is a typical find when cleaning out the refrigerator. I've come to the realization, bulk, at least bulk for my family, is a contributing factor. I know two for one greens is a good deal, and would be, if we ate them right away, but letting one get slimy before eating is anything but thrifty. Big bags of fruit are cheaper per pound than individually selected apples, pears, or oranges. None though are good deals if part end up binned. March is a good month to become aware of my food waste again and look at changing some of the habits. I live the opposite of in a food desert, within walking distance of a grocery store. I pass another minimum of six grocers on route to and from work, literally not having to go out of my way at all, if I chose to stop. Getting a ready supply of fresh fruit and vegetables is easier for my family than most. As part of my life list, increasing the servings of fruit and veg while decreasing the waste is a two for one goal. I might seeing a little blip in cost increase, but the exchange will be fresher, more delicious meals. If I balance with less food waste, I may even see a neutral impact. Who else struggles with either the five a day, or wasting fruit and vegetables? What's your plan for shopping for fresh produce?
I struggle with the fruit and veg thing. When I buy bulk I try and buy the kind of lettuce that lasts longer - I bought a large bag of romaine hearts from Costco 2 weeks ago, still several left. I am not sure if there is any way to prevent 100% of food from being wasted when there is more than one human in the house, something about not being able to tell exactly how much people will eat. I make smaller salads than I used to as used to have leftover salad spoil. We now eat salad first, dinner afterwards so that all the salad is eaten. I keep my applies in the fridge after they've been on the counter for a couple of weeks as apples (for cooking) can last months in the fridge.
ReplyDeleteI nut spinach mostly for salad as I can cook it if it turns. Soft apples and bananas for bakung, but some thingsI'm at a loss.
DeleteI struggle with this a lot too. As far as food waste goes, we primarily waste fruit and veg too. I have been trying to up my servings as a way to combat this. As for the rest of my family, it's usually a crap shoot. It always seems like when I notice that one of the girls is really enjoying a certain fruit/veg, the millisecond I buy it in bulk, they no longer want it anymore! I'll be very interested in the comments you get here! Maybe they can help me too! =)
ReplyDeleteYour kids too? I under buy one week then over compensate and suddenly,waste.
DeleteEvery week we go to our local market and buy whatever fruit and veg is cheap - we rarely spend more than £7.
ReplyDeleteLast week we started each day with blueberries, bananas, oranges and apples topped with natural yogurt, sunflower seeds & linseeds. For our evening meals we had lentil daal with wholemeal roti, broccoli sabzi, Indian stuffed peppers, gobi aloo and roasted veggies (parsnips, beetroot, sweet potato and carrots with some rosemary from the garden). Lunch was either salad sandwiches on wholemeal bread or home-made veg soup.
Any scraps or peelings get composted but I've just treated myself to an American book called "Don't Throw It, Grow It" so hopefully I might be able to grow food from the stones and pips instead! x
I read posts by people with beautiful edible gardens and think, what a life! I love adding veg to samdwiches.
DeleteI generally find I do better with food waste if I buy in smaller amounts. The only exception is veggies like cabbage or cauliflower with a long shelf life. We have finally figured out that the only bagged fruit we can buy is a bag of Halos or Cuties. They will get eaten.
ReplyDeleteClementines are perfect size. I like to buy 6 pieces of fruit like apples, bananas, navel oranges at a time, and then we have less waste. Two each. Spendy though, but cheaper than a candy bar.
DeleteYes, I struggle with this too. Having a clear meal plan and shopping accordingly helps, but I am not very good at sticking to my list! x
ReplyDeleteIt seems struck a similar chord. None of us want the waste and planning is crucial.
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