According to the Food and Agriculture Organization 1.3 billion tons of safe food gets lost or wasted every year. Preventing food waste saves money, is good for the environment and supports communities by providing donated food to those who might not have a steady food supply.
You can take steps to make your food go further and reduce food waste by shopping locally, preparing meals in advance and storing food correctly. For National Nutrition Month® 2018, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics urges everyone to “Go Further with Food.” The following tips will help you do just that:
Shop locally. Shopping locally can be a great way to add healthful foods to your diet while conserving natural resources. Food purchased at farmers markets often is more affordable and tastes better than at commercial grocery stores because it is locally grown and naturally ripened. Buying locally grown food also helps conserve natural resources and has a minimal effect on the environment.
“Supporting local farmers markets enables us to produce healthful food today and for generations to come,” says registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy spokesperson Libby Mills in a press release.
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Plan ahead when you shop locally. Bring a shopping list and purchase foods you know how to prepare. “Talk to your local farmers about less familiar fruits or vegetables,” encourages Mills. “They’ll usually be able to share how it’s grown, what it tastes like and several ways of preparing and serving the food.”
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