• Latest

Tips for reducing food and packaging waste in your kitchen

August 10, 2014

Vermont Hunter Education Courses

March 15, 2023

Vermont Philharmonic and Green Mountain Youth Symphony Present “Awakenings: Music of Young Composers”

March 15, 2023

Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA) Joins in Month-Long March for Meals Celebration with Communities Nationwide

March 15, 2023
African Queen (1951)

Divorce, Italian Style (1961)

March 15, 2023

Following Successful Public Pressure Campaign to Lower the Cost of Eli Lilly’s Insulin, Sanders and Bush Introduce Bill to Finish the Job and Cap the Price at $20 Per Vial

March 15, 2023
Udderly Crazy 4-H Club Members Take Part In 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl

Udderly Crazy 4-H Club Members Take Part In 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl

March 7, 2023
Hunger Free Vermont Receives $36,090 Nourishing Neighbors Grant from Shaw’s Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbor Campaign

Hunger Free Vermont Receives $36,090 Nourishing Neighbors Grant from Shaw’s Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbor Campaign

March 7, 2023
African Queen (1951)

La Strada (“The Road”) – 1954

March 7, 2023

Scammers May Be Targeting Your Smart TV

March 7, 2023
Just Some Thoughts

My Spring Obsession

March 7, 2023
African Queen (1951)

Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972)

February 28, 2023

Lyndon Institute to Sponsor NEK Career and Apprenticeship Fair in April

February 28, 2023
  • Home
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
Monday, March 20, 2023
The World Online
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The World Online
No Result
View All Result

Tips for reducing food and packaging waste in your kitchen

by
August 10, 2014
in Green
0

Have you ever thought about how much food ends up being wasted? Expired yogurt cups, slimy salads, moldy leftovers – it all adds up. Experts estimate that more than 40 percent of the food produced in the U.S. – from farm to fork – is wasted. Imagine all the resources that went into growing, harvesting, processing, transporting, packaging, selling and serving that food. And then imagine throwing away almost half of it.

So what can smart consumers do to waste less food? First of all, we can start thinking of packaging as an investment in our food and all the resources used to produce it. Studies find that up to 10 times more resources are used to make and distribute food than to make the packaging that protects it. Packaging provides barriers to oxygen, light, temperatures, moisture, microbes, critters and dirt to deliver food to us safely – so we waste less food.

The right packaging also can reduce packaging waste. For example, lightweight plastic packaging not only does a good job protecting food, it also is “lighter” on the environment. By using less material to package food, lighter plastics typically reduce the energy used to deliver food, the corresponding greenhouse gas emissions, and the amount of waste after use, compared to alternatives. Plus, more and more plastic packaging can be recycled today, which further reduces overall packaging waste.

So if you’re looking for ways to reduce food waste and packaging waste in your kitchen, here are some tips:

* When you have leftover food after a meal, plastic storage containers, wraps and zipper bags help seal out air so food lasts longer in the fridge. In the freezer, zipper bags also help prevent freezer burn. And many of these bags can be washed out and reused and even recycled (when clean and dry) at grocery and retail stores that collect plastic bags and wraps. Check for a collection bin in the front of your local stores.

* Look for foods in a little bit of packaging that can prevent a lot of food waste. For example, those cucumbers wrapped in thin plastic film can last two weeks or more, while an unwrapped cucumber lasts about three days. Poultry, beef, fish, produce and many other everyday foods today are wrapped in transparent, lightweight wraps or bags that increase shelf life and help waste less food with very little packaging.

* All those new, minimalist plastic pouches in grocery stores also help protect food with very little material; many can be crumpled up to the size of a poker chip. Look for re-sealable pouches that make it easy to use what you need and save the rest for later.

* A great way to help reduce packaging waste is to recycle everything you can. Today plastic beverage bottles, milk and juice jugs, margarine tubs, condiment containers, and more can be recycled in most curbside programs across the country. Don’t forget to include caps and lids. And take plastic bags and wraps back to participating grocery and retail stores for recycling.

* Recycled plastics can even make it back to your kitchen. To close the recycling loop, look for cutting boards, bowls, storage containers, garbage bags, and more made with recycled plastics. For example, cutting boards can be made with used milk jugs, and mixing bowls can be made with used yogurt and margarine containers. And many of these recycled products can be recycled once again at the end of their useful life.

To make sure you’re recycling everything you can, visit Earth911.com or IWantToBeRecycled.org to find out what’s accepted for recycling in your area.


Tags: foodkitchenpackagingreducingtipswaste
Previous Post

Add a burst of flavor to summer meals with grapes

Next Post

Plateau-busting tips for avoiding common workout pitfalls

Next Post

Plateau-busting tips for avoiding common workout pitfalls

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This Week’s Ads

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
The World
403 US Route 302
Barre, VT 05641
Phone: (802) 479-2582

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

No Result
View All Result
  • Art Exhibits
  • Audit and Reader Surveys
  • Births
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Daily Horoscope
  • Fall Guide
  • Food & Recipe
  • Home
  • Obituaries
  • Ongoing Events
  • Pay Your Bill Here
  • Senior Living Edition
  • Showtimes
  • Submit Birth Announcement
  • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
  • Submit Engagement Announcement
  • Submit Listing to our Local Directory
  • Submit Sports News/Photo
  • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Testimonials
  • The World Coupons
  • Weather Forecast
  • World Deadlines
  • World Distribution Map
  • World Rate Card
  • World Rates and Ad Sizes
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • About Us
  • Vermont Lottery
  • Advertising Information
  • The World Staff
  • Advertising Inquiry
  • Submit Letter To The Editor
  • Local Directory
  • Poll Results
  • Local Deals
  • Classifieds
  • Submit An Article To The World
  • Events
  • The World – This Week’s Online Digital Edition
  • The World Auto & Sports

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In