During Earth Month we celebrate our home, planet Earth. There are so many ways to help celebrate this holiday. Gardening, planting a tree, buying a reusable water bottle, going paperless, shopping local are just a few ways to get started. One way we could all pitch in this Earth Month is to focus on food waste. Food waste is a very big problem in our society, but it doesn’t have to be!
Stop Food Waste! Here are some simple ways you can take action today:
Imperfect produce needs love too: Just because there is a small bruise on an apple or a dent on your potato doesn’t mean it’s badit’s what is on the inside that counts! Bruised bananas are perfect for freezing and using in a delicious smoothie or even banana bread!
Use it Up! Make snacks and meals during the week with food you have at home that’s about to go bad. It’s also important to check your kitchen and plan meals with food you already have on hand before you head to the grocery store, only buy what you need!
Freeze for Later: Fruit, bread, cooked veggies, sauces, and soups all freeze great! Just remember to squeeze all the air out of containers to prevent freezer burn.
Eating garden fresh food is not only delicious, it’s nutritious. April is National Gardening Month, and gardening is a great family activity that will bring fresh produce or herbs right to your kitchen. If you have space for a small backyard garden, try growing a few vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and herbs. You can even plant tomatoes in containers and watch them grow or try growing some herbs in small pots on a windowsill where they get plenty of light.
Garden fresh vegetables taste great fresh in salsas, salads or grilled. Toss together your favorite garden greens like spinach, kale or arugula, add in cherry tomatoes, carrots, & cucumbers and top with a home-made vinaigrette. You’ll be amazed at how much you and your family will enjoy food you grew yourselves. Check out http://www.kidsgardening.org/ for more gardening tips.