Every year, a third of our total food supply is wasted. The average American household throws away $2,000 of food per year. Here are five way to extend freshness and repurpose foods, reducing wasted healthy food.
BREAD
Keep it fresh: Store loaves of bread in the freezer. A quick pop in the toaster or a few seconds in the microwave revives that bread in seconds.
Repurpose: Convert stale bread into croutons by toasting in the oven with a bit of olive oil, salt, and herbs.
FRUIT
Keep it fresh: Buy in-season. In the summer, choose melons and berries. In the winter, focus on hearty fruits like citrus and apples.
Repurpose: Transform overripe fruit into fruit salad. Slice, drizzle with honey and lemon juice, and place front and center in the fridge for an enticing healthy snack. Freeze overripe fruit, especially bananas, to use in fruit smoothies or for a frozen sweet treat. (See recipe below.)
VEGETABLES
Keep it fresh: Instead of banishing veggies to your refrigerator’s produce drawers, store them in clear containers on the top shelf.
Repurpose: You’ve probably heard of “snout-to-tail” cooking (using all parts of the animal), but what about “root-to-stalk”? Parts of vegetables that usually end up in the trash are actually healthy and delicious to eat. Wash and chop the green tops of beets, carrots, and other root vegetables, and sauté in olive oil and garlic or blend into a pesto.
HERBS
Keep it fresh: Store herbs like fresh flowers. Snip the ends, and place in a glass of water. Cover loosely with a plastic bag, and store in the fridge (basil is the exception—keep it on the counter), and change the water every few days. Wash herbs right before use.
Repurpose: Chop up leftover herbs and mix with olive oil, salt, and pepper (i.e., pesto). This herb rub goes great on meat, fish, or poultry, and it lasts a week in the fridge. Place chopped herbs in an ice-cube tray with a little water, and freeze. Toss these herb cubes into soups and sauces while cooking to add fresh flavor.
RECIPE: Chocolate-Banana Soft Serve
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
Add milk, frozen banana, and cocoa powder to a blender. Blend. Serve, and enjoy!
