Over the summer, I worked at a candy store, and the amount of expired chocolate, jelly beans, and caramels we simply threw away was appalling. Luckily, I was able to rescue over 100 items from the trash. I brought them home with me to distribute to family, friends, neighbors, my parents’ co-workers, and, of course, I ate some myself.
However, it was impossible to save everything without bringing my red RadioFlyer wagon to work with me, and so many perfectly yummy sweets that could have made someone’s day went to waste. Those treats are part of the staggering 40% of America’s food that is wasted. This issue at the candy store made me realize how much we could cut down on food waste if we just took the extra time and effort needed to redistribute expired or unwanted items.
After all, chocolate and other sweets don’t become inedible right after the expiration dates and many other items don’t either. Places called salvage grocery stores sell expired items at discounted rates, and the operation is entirely USDA approved. Food banks will also occasionally accept safe expired products as well. There is no shortage of ways to make use of food that might otherwise be wasted.
Here are a few simple ways you can reduce food waste in your everyday college life:
1. Take It Home
As hungry, broke college students, most of us have no shame in our doggy bag-making game, but so much food still gets thrown out, so I think we all need a reminder to not be shy. Do your part to eliminate food waste by offering to take home any leftovers after a potluck, party, or club or Greek-affiliated event, and always ask for a box when you don’t finish your meal at a restaurant.
2. Eat Leftovers First
Yes, I know eating leftovers can get boring. Sometimes I would rather get takeout or make something new than eat pasta for the third day in a row, but in order to prevent waste, it’s important to make a point to eat leftovers before anything else. Label your containers with the date you made the meal and don’t let them get pushed to the back of your fridge.
3. Don’t Overbuy
No, you don’t need to shop at Costco if you live alone or don’t share food with your roommates. Just go there for the samples, not the giant bags of snacks. Make a list of pantry staples and try to stick to it. If you buy produce, make sure you have a recipe you intend to use it for that week.
4. Donate
My university has a food pantry, and chances are, your school or community does too. Last year, while cleaning out my pantry, I discovered canned goods and dry, packaged meals that were still good and donating them to the food pantry was simple: I just dropped off the bag and no questions were asked. If you can’t find a donation station on campus, Google ‘salvage grocery stores’ or food banks in your area to find a home for any items you won’t be using.
So much food gets wasted, yet so many people still go hungry. Be a part of the solution; reduce your personal food waste to save money and help others in need.