Daily Dish the Sonoma Market blog
Extraordinary Sustainability: How to Avoid Food Waste
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Food waste directly affects all of us, but we often think of it in small doses, like the food left on our plates when we get full or the produce that got moldy in the back of the fridge. Unfortunately, the United States lets a staggering 40% of all food produced go to waste, and this number has risen dramatically due to the pandemic. The good news is there are many ways to combat food waste, energy loss and water loss all at once! Here are just a few ways to get started.
Food waste directly affects all of us, but we often think of it in small doses, like the food left on our plates when we get full or the produce that got moldy in the back of the fridge. Unfortunately, the United States lets a staggering 40% of all food produced go to waste, and this number has risen dramatically due to the pandemic. When food goes to waste, not only does all the energy it took to produce the food go to waste, but so does the inherent water (in the food) and the plastic packaging surrounding the food.
The good news is there are many ways to combat food waste, energy loss and water loss all at once! Here are just a few ways to get started:
- Buy what you need. As you make your essential trip out to the grocery store, think about the food you need per day and make sure you will be able to eat everything you purchase. If you need help storing, saving and cooking your produce, check out our Cooking with Produce 101 blog!
- Purchase local items. Purchasing local products keeps your money local, supports the businesses hit the hardest by the pandemic and decreases the greenhouse gases used in transportation! Expand your local purchasing by checking out local artisans of cheese like Nicasio Valley Cheese Company, Belfiore Organic Mozzarella and Pt. Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. Nicasio is a local, family ranch that produces 100% organic cheese while being stewards of their pastured land. Belfiore Organic Mozzarella is a local, family-run operation producing organic, fresh mozzarella. Pt. Reyes is a local, family farmstead producing artisan cheeses while reducing greenhouse gases and conserving water. Want to learn more? Talk to the cheesemonger at your local Nugget Markets!
- Use the right storage. Part of keeping food fresh, edible and delicious is storing it in the right packaging. Consider choosing sustainable packaging like Bee’s Wrap or Ovtene. Bee’s Wrap is reusable and compostable, and Ovtene uses 100% less water and 55% less plastic resin than competitive plastic packaging. Both options keep food fresher longer while protecting the integrity of the food. We use Ovtene to wrap many products in the specialty cheese department, and you can purchase it for your cheese, bread, meat and produce, too!
Have questions about these stats or other sustainable solutions? Email sustainability@nuggetmarket.com and speak with our sustainability coordinator!
