To find out how to reduce household food waste, we reached out to Robyn Barefoot M.Sc., and registered dietitian, to provide us with some tips and tricks to minimize food waste at home – which also means saving money and helping the planet.

I throw out a lot of food because it goes bad before I can use it.  What are some tips to help reduce household food waste?

Barefoot: “My favourite tip is to plan ahead and shop often! Planning meals in advance can help utilize the food purchased. Using tools such as websites, paper and pen, calendars or even something as simple as a chalkboard can help to make meal planning possible. Making a shopping list and sticking to it goes hand in hand and can help to avoid unnecessary purchases that may not get eaten. Another personal favourite is shopping at bulk food stores. This can help reduce waste of dry storage items such as spices, dry pasta and crackers, grabbing only how much you’ll need … while saving money too!”

“As someone who lives alone, I grocery shop at least 3-4 times per week, only grabbing small bits at a time. This keeps food waste at bay no doubt, but understandably can be challenging for those with large families. With a busy work and home life, many clients I speak with shop every two weeks or even once a month. In this case your freezer is your best friend (seriously) … as is a clean and organized fridge.”

Tip for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Barefoot: “Cut up vegetables and fruit only as you wish to eat them. Once oxygen is exposed to produce, its shelf life plummets. Surface area is also a big one – the more you chop something into smaller pieces, the quicker it will go bad. Cut too much? Pop fresh fruit and vegetables in the freezer and store for up to 6 months. Remember; keep your storage spaces neat and tidy to ensure you know what you have on hand.”

What are ways I can better store my food to prevent wasting it?

Barefoot: “Keeping food in the fridge can extend its shelf life. I like to keep tomatoes, avocados, apples and even bananas (nothing better than a bite out of a chilled banana in the morning) in the fridge even though they’re perfectly ok to stay on the counter. This gives me a few more days out of them.”

Tip for Bread

Barefoot: “Bread is a staple I purchase but after day two, it goes directly into the freezer. Keeping bread in the fridge will delay the mould but also stales the bread due to two compounds called amylose and amylopectin found in wheat. The structures of the grains change when refrigerated and can leave you with a not so nice product – yet still safe to eat. If you wind up with stale bread, throw it in the toaster and you won’t notice the difference!

Tip for Meat

Barefoot: “Another favourite of mine is to cook meats, especially poultry prior to freezing. This allows me to grab the protein straight from the freezer, throw into a dish and quickly microwave or even eat cold as I need. I find freezing meats raw leads to a greater potential of freezer burn and food waste as the thawing, cooking, chilling and reheating process is much more burdensome than being prepared and ready to go. Hooray for being prepared and reducing food waste!”

Do you have suggestions for using food that is about to go bad?

Barefoot: “Roasted, grilled, sautéed or soup’ed! Vegetables that start to wilt are perfect for cooking because you can’t notice the difference in taste or texture. I love tossing week old spinach and herbs such as parsley and basil into soups and stews and even lasagne once they’re not as fresh looking. While produce is good for this, be careful with cheeses and meat products as the best before date is crucial. If I notice a best before date on a packaged food is approaching, again I pop it into the freezer and can still use it in a couple weeks down the road (hint: shredded cheese is perfect for this). Many foods can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months. You’d be surprised to know I was eating leftover turkey soup from Thanksgiving at Christmas time … saving money and the planet tastes pretty good to me!”

Reducing food waste starts with planning meals in advance and smart shopping at the store. Utilize your refrigerator and freezer to extend the life of fresh foods and keep food storage areas organized so you know what you have on hand. Using as much as possible of the foods you purchase helps to save money and helps the environment.

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How many vegetables do I need to eat each day?

Sarah Downs, RD: “It depends on the age, activity level and gender, but ranges from one cup to three cups per day. Generally, one cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice or two cups of raw leafy greens can be considered as one cup from the vegetable group. For additional information on serving sizes and recommendations per age group, Choose MyPlate is a great resource.”

What are the best types of vegetables to eat?

Sarah Downs, RD: “Any vegetable or 100 percent vegetable juice counts as a member of the vegetable group. Veggies can be raw or cooked, fresh, frozen, canned or dried and may be whole, mashed or cut. Based on their nutrient content, vegetables are organized into five subgroups:

1. dark green vegetables
2. starchy vegetables
3. red and orange vegetables
4. beans and peas
5. other vegetables

It is a good idea to choose a variety of vegetables from the different groups above because they offer distinctive nutrients and health benefits.”

What makes a vegetable a vegetable and not a fruit (i.e., tomatoes)?

Sarah Downs, RD: “From a botanist’s (someone who studies plants) point of view, fruits are the part of the plant that develops from a flower and contains the seeds. Vegetables are the other part of the plant — this includes the stems, leaves and roots. From a culinary point of view, vegetables are less sweet and fruits are typically sweeter and more tart. When it comes to nutrition, fruits and vegetables are similar in that they are typically low in calories, high in fiber and antioxidants and loaded with vitamins and minerals.”

Does vegetable juice count?

Sarah Downs, RD: “It is best to eat the whole vegetable because of the insoluble fiber it provides. However, vegetable juice is okay to consume as one to two servings of vegetables. It is important you choose 100 percent vegetable juice and be mindful of the sodium content in some of the veggie juices.”

What’s the best way to prepare vegetables?

Sarah Downs, RD: “Any technique is great, except for deep frying or adding calorie-dense cream/cheese sauces. Whatever way you choose to cook veggies (boil, bake, microwave, or even raw) is fine, as long as you are eating plenty of vegetables to begin with. By experimenting with different techniques, you may be able to find the ways you enjoy them best!”

Are fresh veggies better than frozen or canned?

Sarah Downs, RD: “When fresh vegetables are consumed in season, they often may taste better to some, but when it comes to nutrition they are the same. In fact, many times frozen vegetables are flash frozen at their peak ripeness so their nutrient content may be slightly higher than fresh vegetables. The benefits of frozen and canned vegetables is that they are affordable even when they are out of season and you will still get the same amount of nutrients. It is important to read the label and look at the amount of sodium in canned vegetables. There are many varieties that are low sodium; if not, you can rinse your canned beans and veggies to remove some of the sodium.”

There is no “one size fits all” approach to consuming fruits and vegetables, and it’s great to have the choice of whether to purchase fresh, frozen or canned. Check out some additional information on this topic:

• Fresh, Frozen, Canned, Dehydrated: Healthy Eating Year-Round
• Are Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Better than Canned or Frozen Produce?

I’m on a budget but want to eat more vegetables. How do I do that?

Sarah Downs, RD:

• Buy in season: While most vegetables are available year-round, some are less expensive when they are in season. Also, remember that all forms of fruits and vegetables are nutritious. Canned and frozen can be budget-friendly options to consider.
• Buy more: When there are specials, buy extra. They can be frozen to use later or used in a dish that can be frozen for later.

Vegetables don’t taste good to me. How can I enhance the flavor and make them more enjoyable for me to eat?

Sarah Downs, RD:

• Pair with cheese. A sprinkle of Parmesan or mozzarella cheese usually does the trick.
• Get tangy and add a splash of citrus juice on top. Lemon is my favorite!
• Experiment with different types of herbs and spices.
• Turn up the heat by adding a chopped jalapeno pepper or red chili flakes to your next dish.
• Stuff your veggies. Bell peppers, mushroom caps, tomatoes and artichokes are perfect for stuffing, baking and roasting. I like to stuff veggies with ground beef or turkey, rice and black beans for a protein-and veggie packed-entree!

What’s your favorite vegetable?

Sarah Downs, RD: “My favorite vegetable is raw carrots — I love the crunch!”

_{The image “Vegetables” by Daniel Cukier is licensed under CC BY ND 2.0.}

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