Picture this—you’ve carefully packed a lunch on a school night, but by the time noon rolls around the next day, you’re craving something totally different. You might think it’s a good idea to throw your uneaten lunch away. But have you ever stopped to wonder where “away” actually is?
Food that gets tossed in the trash can ends up with our friend, Land Phil. He keeps all of our garbage in a safe place designed to protect the environment. But he doesn’t need your scraps—scientists estimate that 40% of food goes uneaten, filling up Land Phil and leaving less space for the stuff that he’s meant to handle. Plus, each stage from farm to home requires land, water, energy, and labor, meaning all those resources go to waste!
Land Phil wants Lincoln’s food to nourish the people that need it. So, how can we reduce our food waste and help feed hungry mouths instead of Land Phil?
Save it for Leftovers
Save your extra food for leftovers! You can finish it off later in the week, or take the scraps and make them into something new. Here’s an idea: Try turning mushy berries into homemade fruit roll-ups!
Use Your Senses
The phrases BEST BY, SELL BY, and USE BY describe food quality—not food safety.* Food may still be safe to eat past these dates. Use your senses instead of relying only on these labels. Look, smell, and taste to avoid food waste…