Your mother wants you to buy fewer vegetables……… Mother Nature agrees!

What ??*!? You may ask.  But there is a good reason for this. What if you purchased smaller quantities of fruits and vegetables, but used everything you bought?

Did you know about 40% of the food supply is thrown away? There goes a good part of your health.

• We throw away about 25% of all food brought into the home. 
• 2/3 of household waste is due to food spoiling from not being used in time, and the other 1/3 is caused by people cooking or serving too much. That’s enough to fill the 90,000 seat Rose Bowl Stadium EVERY DAY!! 
• 50% of wasted food is from fruits and vegetables. Of that, only 3% is composted. 
• The average person throws out about 20 pounds per person per month
• An American family of four ends up throwing away about $1600 in food every year.

“What can I do?” you may ask.  The solutions might be easier than you think.  

 Here are some places to start:

At the store:

• Use a shopping list, plan ahead and resist impulse buying. You will cut down on buying foods you won’t use.
• Be realistic about what you can actually use.
• Buy funny looking produce.  You can often get excellent quality for a lower price.

At home:

• Practice FIFO – First In, First Out. Move older produce (and leftovers) to the front so you will use them first.
• Store better.  In the fridge use airtight containers whenever possible.  Put a sticker with the date on it.  Most refrigerators remove moisture, which will rapidly wilt your lettuce, carrots or other foods.
• Cooked vegetables may last longer than raw. You can sauté onions, carrots, celery, bell peppers and many other veggies with some herbs.  This mixture can be added to many dishes.  If you are not using it right away, stick it in the freezer.
• Many leftovers, or "planned overs" can be frozen. Remember FIFO here too.
• Compost what you can.

During a meal:

•  Eat both raw and cooked veggies. Check in with your body.  Gently ask yourself when are you hungry and when are you full.  Empty your mouth between bites.  You may be satisfied with less food and feel better at the end of the meal.
• Take smaller portions to get started.  You can go back for more if you like.  
• Snack on fruit.
• Remember that overeating does not help those in other parts of the world….

Start with a couple of these ideas, see what works for you.  The result is that you will eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, your blood sugars improve, you save money, and help the environment.  Everybody wins!

Happy Mother's Day!

This information was adapted from:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/09/23/americans-throw-out-more-food-than-plastic-paper-metal-or-glass/

http://greatist.com/health/how-to-ways-reduce-food-waste