Great informational newsletters Anne-Marie. Day 1 was tough because I know that I tend to insert awareness about the environment in a lot of conversations with friends, family and neighbors. And even if most are onboard, I was told a few days ago that what I do sounds like virtue signaling… sigh. I have a harder time getting involved in associations so I will certainly look at the links you provided in #2.
This last newsletter speaks to my heart because that is what I have been doing (and preaching, Ha!).
What works best for no waste of fresh veggies: know exactly what they are going to be used for, and prep them as soon as you come back from the grocery store: cleaned and cut up veggies, well stored, last the week in the fridge.
What I love to do with leftovers are Quiche! You can put any combination of leftover veggies+cheese (I am not vegan) and you add spices, herbs and it is always good!
Thank you, Laurence. Yes, that first one—have a discussion—is one of the hardest. You might find Hayhoe's book a big help. I too have seen my progressive friends' eyes glaze over many times. I'm trying to put into practice what I learned in the book.
And thank you for sharing that tip about the veggies. Having them prepped really speeds up cooking. You basically become your own sous-chef and assemble dinner. Quiche is a perfect clear-out-the-fridge recipe!
Hi Anne-Marie… this topic is near and dear to my heart… as a nutritionist at Choices Markets on the Canadian west coast, I’m a huge fan of the importance of meal planning and I share your meal planning template with everyone I consult with (introducing them to your website while I’m at it!)
It all starts with a plan: we eat better, waste less and I always emphasize cooking once and eating at least twice from that effort.
Loving this challenge and shared it with my adult kids. Thanks for all you do- Happy New Year!
Thank you for sharing my content and for the kind words D'Arcy. A little bit of planning reduces so much waste (and saves a fortune). And thank you for helping people eat better and reduce their food waste!
This was such a great read!! In regards to sustainability, fighting food waste has been my biggest passion for the last few years—it’s what I founded my business on the basis of as well. I’ve been feeling pretty burnt out lately, but honestly just reading this was really motivating. Thank you for your research and for laying out all the content so well!
Thank you very much! I'm glad you found the post motivating. I'm planning another post about sustainable jobs later in the month. What kind of business did you start? (If you'd rather not say here, I understand.)
No worries, happy to share! We run a local, farm-fresh produce, meal, and signature product delivery and composting service in Southern California! (CAVI Kitchen)
I make something called Green Soup. It’s not all green veggies but usually ends up green due to the wilted spinach/kale/chard that goes in it. Start with sautéing onions, celery and garlic, add whatever other veg needs using. Add broth, seasonings/herbs and greens at the end. Purée everything and you have a lovely creamy soup!
Once or twice a week we have what we call “Noon Schmorg”, a smorgasbord of leftovers. This usually happens just before a grocery run In order to clear out the fridge. Pizza, frittatas and quesadillas are other ways I use up leftovers.
I love the name! If we all did that before shopping, practically no food would go to waste. Thank you for sharing all of these idea. Your Noon Schmorgs sound delicious.
We got name when we were living in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and one of the local motels had a Sunday smorgasbord lunch. But they couldn’t fit the whole word “smorgasbord “ on the outdoor sign so it just said “Noon Smorg Sunday”. We always got a chuckle out of that! From then on, our leftovers have been called noon schmorg.
Great way to start the new year - thank you! I have definitely made positive strides towards reducing food waste (and am a dedicated on-site home composter - both worm and yard waste) but needed a new perspective to get me going in a more focused and intentional way.... Yesterday I returned home from a 10 day vacation and, based on your Day 3 newsletter and challenge, took a closer look at the food in my refrigerator and in my pantry before running out to buy groceries, as I typically would after being away from home for this long. I was very happy to be able to follow your go-to soup recipe and create a delicious and nutritious soup utilizing some sad looking greens, carrots, and cheese rinds, bolstered by sauteed onions, fresh herbs (from my potted herb garden) and a veggie stock I had on hand. And, yes, adding a dash of vinegar (I chose apple cider vinegar) gave it the extra kick it needed! I made a big enough batch to last 2-3 days for both me and my husband and both of us are quite happy that I made the effort. Again, thanks for the inspiration!
Oh that's great! And you were able to make so much! I'm sometimes a bit amazed at how much soup I can make with so few ingredients. Yes, a splash of vinegar makes a huge difference. Cheese rinds too. Thanks for sharing!
I belong to a Buy Nothing group. There are a few members who post their excesses. In some cases it is leftovers.in others it is the end of the month purging of the pantry. There are takers always,
Oh that's a great idea to post food on there. I'm going to try that if I have a bumper crop of lemons this year. Thank you very much for sharing that tip.
Great post. Thank you. One of my favorite ways to use up food that might otherwise be wasted is to make a frittata. I cut everything into bit sized pieces and sauté in a cast iron pan in. Add seasoning and then pour egg (or homemade “just egg” over everything (and cheese if desired) and let it cook. Then cool and slice.
Thank you! And thank you for the frittata idea. How do you make your just egg? My daughter makes an egg replacer for baking but I don't think it's like "just egg."
Great informational newsletters Anne-Marie. Day 1 was tough because I know that I tend to insert awareness about the environment in a lot of conversations with friends, family and neighbors. And even if most are onboard, I was told a few days ago that what I do sounds like virtue signaling… sigh. I have a harder time getting involved in associations so I will certainly look at the links you provided in #2.
This last newsletter speaks to my heart because that is what I have been doing (and preaching, Ha!).
What works best for no waste of fresh veggies: know exactly what they are going to be used for, and prep them as soon as you come back from the grocery store: cleaned and cut up veggies, well stored, last the week in the fridge.
What I love to do with leftovers are Quiche! You can put any combination of leftover veggies+cheese (I am not vegan) and you add spices, herbs and it is always good!
Thank you, Laurence. Yes, that first one—have a discussion—is one of the hardest. You might find Hayhoe's book a big help. I too have seen my progressive friends' eyes glaze over many times. I'm trying to put into practice what I learned in the book.
And thank you for sharing that tip about the veggies. Having them prepped really speeds up cooking. You basically become your own sous-chef and assemble dinner. Quiche is a perfect clear-out-the-fridge recipe!
Hi Anne-Marie… this topic is near and dear to my heart… as a nutritionist at Choices Markets on the Canadian west coast, I’m a huge fan of the importance of meal planning and I share your meal planning template with everyone I consult with (introducing them to your website while I’m at it!)
It all starts with a plan: we eat better, waste less and I always emphasize cooking once and eating at least twice from that effort.
Loving this challenge and shared it with my adult kids. Thanks for all you do- Happy New Year!
Thank you for sharing my content and for the kind words D'Arcy. A little bit of planning reduces so much waste (and saves a fortune). And thank you for helping people eat better and reduce their food waste!
This was such a great read!! In regards to sustainability, fighting food waste has been my biggest passion for the last few years—it’s what I founded my business on the basis of as well. I’ve been feeling pretty burnt out lately, but honestly just reading this was really motivating. Thank you for your research and for laying out all the content so well!
Thank you very much! I'm glad you found the post motivating. I'm planning another post about sustainable jobs later in the month. What kind of business did you start? (If you'd rather not say here, I understand.)
No worries, happy to share! We run a local, farm-fresh produce, meal, and signature product delivery and composting service in Southern California! (CAVI Kitchen)
I make something called Green Soup. It’s not all green veggies but usually ends up green due to the wilted spinach/kale/chard that goes in it. Start with sautéing onions, celery and garlic, add whatever other veg needs using. Add broth, seasonings/herbs and greens at the end. Purée everything and you have a lovely creamy soup!
That sounds delicious! Soup makes quick work of excess vegetables. Thank you very much for sharing your method.
Once or twice a week we have what we call “Noon Schmorg”, a smorgasbord of leftovers. This usually happens just before a grocery run In order to clear out the fridge. Pizza, frittatas and quesadillas are other ways I use up leftovers.
I love the name! If we all did that before shopping, practically no food would go to waste. Thank you for sharing all of these idea. Your Noon Schmorgs sound delicious.
We got name when we were living in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and one of the local motels had a Sunday smorgasbord lunch. But they couldn’t fit the whole word “smorgasbord “ on the outdoor sign so it just said “Noon Smorg Sunday”. We always got a chuckle out of that! From then on, our leftovers have been called noon schmorg.
I love the tips in Day 1, 2 and 3 and look forward to reading the remaining 27 tips. Your contribution is much appreciated!
Thank you very much! The pressure is on :D I appreciate the kind words and am glad you liked the first three posts.
Great way to start the new year - thank you! I have definitely made positive strides towards reducing food waste (and am a dedicated on-site home composter - both worm and yard waste) but needed a new perspective to get me going in a more focused and intentional way.... Yesterday I returned home from a 10 day vacation and, based on your Day 3 newsletter and challenge, took a closer look at the food in my refrigerator and in my pantry before running out to buy groceries, as I typically would after being away from home for this long. I was very happy to be able to follow your go-to soup recipe and create a delicious and nutritious soup utilizing some sad looking greens, carrots, and cheese rinds, bolstered by sauteed onions, fresh herbs (from my potted herb garden) and a veggie stock I had on hand. And, yes, adding a dash of vinegar (I chose apple cider vinegar) gave it the extra kick it needed! I made a big enough batch to last 2-3 days for both me and my husband and both of us are quite happy that I made the effort. Again, thanks for the inspiration!
Oh that's great! And you were able to make so much! I'm sometimes a bit amazed at how much soup I can make with so few ingredients. Yes, a splash of vinegar makes a huge difference. Cheese rinds too. Thanks for sharing!
I belong to a Buy Nothing group. There are a few members who post their excesses. In some cases it is leftovers.in others it is the end of the month purging of the pantry. There are takers always,
Oh that's a great idea to post food on there. I'm going to try that if I have a bumper crop of lemons this year. Thank you very much for sharing that tip.
Great post. Thank you. One of my favorite ways to use up food that might otherwise be wasted is to make a frittata. I cut everything into bit sized pieces and sauté in a cast iron pan in. Add seasoning and then pour egg (or homemade “just egg” over everything (and cheese if desired) and let it cook. Then cool and slice.
Thank you! And thank you for the frittata idea. How do you make your just egg? My daughter makes an egg replacer for baking but I don't think it's like "just egg."