Fight the Food Waste in Your Own Fridge

Food is simply too good to waste. And feeding the U.S. population requires an enormous amount of land and resources. Still, 40 percent of food in the U.S. goes to waste. When the resources to grow that food are considered, this amounts to approximately 25 percent of all freshwater, four percent of the oil we consume, and more than $165 billion dollars all dedicated to producing food that never gets eaten. Reducing your own food waste is an easy, effective way to trim down your bills and your environmental footprint.

So are you up for the challenge of fighting the food waste at home?

There are simple tips to keep your food bill and “food-print” down at the same time: shop wisely; know when food goes bad (hint: those expiration dates are merely manufacturer suggestions for peak quality and not regulated); buy produce that is perfectly edible even if it’s less cosmetically attractive; cook only the amount of food you need; and eat or compost your leftovers. NRDC has more tips here.