We hear a lot about food waste especially now that our food bills are getting higher each time we shop. How can we stretch our food dollars and make delicious meals at home (or upcycle those restaurant leftovers?) I am pretty good about planning meals for the week and making a list, but sometimes I go “off-list” because those endcap displays and BOGOs look good when I get to the store. Sound familiar?
Registered dietitian and nutrition expert, Rosanne Rust, explains why that isn’t such a good strategy and she has all the answers on food waste in her latest book. Zero Waste Cooking. (For Dummies, A Wiley Brand, 2022.)
Let’s quiz you on what you know about wasting less and saving more by letting Rosanne help us answer the quiz questions.
What is Zero Waste Cooking?
a) A movement to adopt a plant-based diet and eliminate meat.
b) A strategy to reduce food waste.
c) A strategy to eliminate all food waste in grocery stores, restaurants, and at home.
d) A and B
The correct answer is B, explains Rosanne Rust. “The goal of zero waste cooking is to throw away as little food or scraps as possible. To do this, you just need to devote a few minutes to consider how you shop for groceries, how you store your food at home, and how you plan to use the food you buy.”
An estimated _____% of the food supply in the U.S. is wasted due to loss.
a) 15-20%
b) 20-25%
c) 30-40%
d) >55%
The correct answer is C. Food waste includes food never delivered to the processor or retailer, never prepared, or simply thrown away. Rust elaborates, “Of course when you throw away food, you’re not only throwing your money away, but you’re throwing away all of the resources and labor that brought you that food.”
How does reducing food waste help the environment?
a) Reduces pollution from food that ends up in landfills.
b) Reduces transportation costs associated with production and delivery of food.
c) Reduces methane production from wasted foods.
d) All of the above
The correct answer is D. “Reducing the amount of food that you toss can impact all of the above,” Rust explains. “Methane is a greenhouse gas that’s emitted when food rots in landfills, and food is the top source of methane production from municipal landfills. According to the EPA, the total US greenhouse gas is emitted from agriculture is 10%, with transportation (29%), industry (23%) and electricity (25%) emitting the rest. Every sector has a role to play, but if we can all throw away less food at home, we can help!”
Best-by-dates or use-by-dates are required by law on all food products.
a) True
b) False
The correct answer is False, with one exception. Infant formula is required to have use-by product dating and it should be honored to ensure the nutrients are at peak quality. For all other foods, use-by or best-by dates are included voluntarily to tell you about peak quality, but it doesn’t mean the food should be thrown out past the date.
Rosanne advises “that to enjoy the best quality in your food, you use a first in, first out, system when storing canned or packaged shelf-stable items. Keep the older dates in front so you’ll use them. But keep in mind that you can still use items past their dates. Their quality won’t be top-notch, but they’re safe to use. The dates refer to freshness and peak quality (items such as bread products may state a sell or use by date, but they are still safe to eat and stay fresh enough after those dates). The exception is food that can spoil, such as dairy products. While you can use slightly off milk to bake with, if it’s curdled, it’s no longer good.”
Don’t confuse food safety with food quality. “When handling food, keep some food safety basics in mind. Be sure to have clean hands and clean work surfaces. Foodborne illness happens when hands, utensils or cutting boards aren’t clean or are used improperly. Keep cutting boards separate for fresh meats and vegetables, and don’t use the same knife to cut them. Keep raw meat and poultry covered and separated from other items in the refrigerator. Cook foods to the right temperatures, and store in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking,” advises Rust.
Now that you are grounded in some facts about food waste, what can you do to make your kitchen a “zero waste kitchen?” Rosanne offers these top five tips.
- Shop for enough food, but not too much. Don’t overbuy. (In other words, beware of those enticing endcap displays or BOGOs!)
- Store food properly at home.
- Use what you have on hand when you cook.
- Cook meals that use similar ingredients each week.
- Check out the recipes in the book to learn how to do more with leftovers, kitchen scraps, or foods that you have in the freezer or pantry.
I tried one of her recipes, Spicy Tofu Broccoli Bowl, and it was a hit in my house. In addition to the recipes, I loved Part 4 of the book, titled “The Part of Tens.” Ten ways to use leftovers to create healthy, easy meals to reduce food waste. Check out the book and check out Rosanne’s blog, Chew the Facts© by clicking here.
Spicy Tofu Broccoli Bowl (from Zero Waste Cooking)
1 package of firm tofu, drained and pressed
4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon siracha sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed or 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 large bunch of broccoli, chopped, including stems
2 cups cooked rice (I used brown riced)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Cut pressed tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and place into a medium bowl. Sprinkle 3 teaspoons cornstarch over it and toss well to coat evenly.
Mix soy sauce, water, siracha sauce, garlic, and remaining cornstarch, and honey in small bowl and set aside.
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a wok or nonstick skillet. Add the tofu and brown on all sides, about 15 minutes (don’t overcrowd the pan, if needed, work in batches.) Remove crisp tofu from the pan and transfer to serving bowl.
Carefully wipe the pan with a paper towel to remove any lingering bits of browned cornstarch. Add remaining teaspoon of oil and the broccoli to the pan. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes. Return the tofu to the pan and continue cooking another 2 minutes over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat and add the sauce to the tofu-broccoli mixture. Stir as the sauce simmers for about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer back to serving bowl. Serve over rice and garnish with red pepper flakes, if desired.
Tip: To drain and press tofu, wrap it in a paper towel and place into a colander over a large bowl. Place a heavy small pan onto it and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes then change the paper towel and allow to continue to drain for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Yields 4 servings.
Chris Rosenbloom is a registered dietitian and nutrition professor emerita at Georgia State University. She is co-author of Food & Fitness After 50. Follow her blog, Fit to Eat, by clicking here.
