It’s a Crime to Be Unhealthy!
By Susan Holloway, M.S. Home Economics Child Development-Family Relations Retired Teacher of JMCSS and Madison County Extension
Happy 2023 to you and yours! We all know this year might bring many challenges that affect our personal health or our financial health. I am confirmed to choose an unusual new year’s resolution this year. I resolve to stop being WASTEFUL in every part of my life. Abundance and then just habit can cause us to be wasteful and we do not even realize it. The less resources wasted the more money, the less resources wasted the more time, the less resources wasted the more prepared I can be for potential times of need, the less resources wasted the more I am proud of the resources I DO have.
I plan to touch on several areas where I notice we are wasteful, these being (1) food (2) time (3) paper products and (4) fuels. I will address each of the four areas in my monthly articles January through April 2023.
I will begin with #1 FOOD. According to Mayo Clinic Health System’s article written in 2021, between 30% and 40% of food in the U.S. is thrown out or wasted each year. The Department of Agriculture gives these numbers. That is about 133 billion pounds or $161 billion. There is spoilage at every level of picking, transporting, sorting, insects, rodents, bacteria, mold, and discarding from lack of use. The fertilizer, land use, and labor are also wasted.
How can I reduce food waste in my home? Food is becoming more expensive each day and this part of the national food loss I can help control:
A. I will keep a magnetic pad of paper on my fridge to write what I need to buy as I cook, plan, and serve food, compare that with the inventory I take of fridge, freezer, and pantry BEFORE I go to shop for food. I will stick to that list when in the store!
B. My shopping list will mainly be created from my planning sessions of meals. This will save me much money and much food waste. I will create menu cards and repeat them during the week(s).
C. I have clear, cheap shoeboxes as storage bins inside my fridge labeled “Leftovers”, “Meats”, “Drinks”, etc. I do not hold leftovers longer than 3 days or I label and freeze them.
D. Produce spoils easily if not stored properly. Produce is very expensive. I do not buy more than what can be eaten in one week. I wrap greens in paper towels, in plastic containers and in crisper drawers. Tomatoes and bananas are on the counter. Potatoes and onions are in a cool, dark place. I always have canned and frozen fruits and veggies on hand too. Most aged veggies can become soup.
E. I will look for discounted products which have a little age on them and use them immediately. I will not buy any bruised or spoiled products.
F. I will compost the foods which are beyond my use.
Join me in this unusual resolution for the new year. I write this article in first person because I will be committed to doing these things too. Waste Not, Want Not during 2023. I will make it a habit!
