Love Food, Fight Waste is ringing in the new year with food waste reduction.

Bread, fruit, and vegetables are just a few food categories at risk of getting wasted when items appear stale, bruised, or wilted. Embracing food imperfections with a little culinary creativity can significantly reduce food waste, and save you money!

Tips by food type: 

• Bread: Make croutons, breadcrumbs, French toast, bread pudding, stuffing, and more with stale bread.
• Milk: Did you know that milk is safe to consume for a week past its expiration date (as long as it has been properly refrigerated)? Do a smell test.
• Lettuce: Unwilt your lettuce by soaking in an ice bath.
• Crackers/Chips: Stale crackers or chips can be re-toasted in the oven to crisp them up. 

For more info on the above foods and other tips, visit www.icgov.org/lovefood.  

Why are we talking about food waste?

When food is wasted, it wastes all the resources that went into growing, manufacturing, distributing, and transporting that food, too. On a local level, landfilled food waste produces methane, which contributes to climate change. One of the best things each of us can do to take climate action is to reduce food waste.