Tips To Reduce Food Waste from Homegrown

Waste Less and Enjoy More Fresh Produce
By: Theresa ​Makarewicz, P.H.Ec.
Excerpted from Homegrown, by Mairlyn Smith. Reprinted with permission of Whitecap Books.

​It's a fact! Canadians waste food-especially fresh produce. However, with careful planning and proper storage, families can save money and time and always have nutritious produce on hand for quick and healthy meals.

Here are a few tips to reduce waste, save money and enjoy more produce:

• Think ahead. Plan meals, make a grocery list and stick to it.
• Buy only what you need and use it in reasonable time. A 20 lb (9 kg) bag of potatoes is no bargain  if it spoils.
• Visit farmers' markets early in the day; freshly picked greens and herbs wilt rapidly in the sun.
• Keep produce cool. Take a cooler along to safely transport produce home in a hot car.
• Before storing, remove elastic bands or twist ties to avoid bruising of produce.
• Store produce unwashed . With the exception of leafy greens, fresh fruits and veggies have a natural protective coating and washing before storing speeds up spoilage.

• Separation of fruits and vegetables is vital. As fruits ripen, they produce a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas called ethylene that triggers ripening and causes vegetables to spoil.
• Pack produce loosely in perforated plastic bags. To perforate, snip several holes into bags with scissors.
• Check refrigerated produce regularly. Remove spoiling items. It's true! One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch.

Some fruits and vegetables need special attention:

• Apples ripen 10 times faster at room temperature. Store in a perforated bag in the crisper.
• Keep unripe fruits, such as peaches, nectarines, plums, pears and melon on the counter at room temperature-but out of direct sunlight-until they yield  to gentle pressure,  then refrigerate.
• Avoid bitter carrots by storing them away from apples.
• Leave com husks on and refrigerate cobs in a perforated plastic bag. Husk when ready to use.
• Store onions and potatoes in a cool, dark, dry place, but not side by side. Potatoes decrease the shelf life of onions, causing them to rot prematurely. Light causes potatoes to tum green and bitter.
• Sweet potatoes should not be refrigerated as the core will harden.  For longer storage, keep cool around 55°F to 60°F (13°C to l6°C) or at  room  temperature  for 1week.
• Broccoli and cauliflower can be stored whole in a perforated plastic bag, or cut into florets and stored (unwashed) in a plastic bag for quick use.
• Store tomatoes at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Refrigeration changes their texture and flavour.
• Cover herbs with a damp cloth or paper towel and refrigerate in a sealable bag or container. Or trim ends, place in a jar with water, cover loosely and refrigerate. Remember to change the water every couple of days;

• Can, pickle or freeze produce at its peak of freshness.
• If you do need to throw out produce, compost it back to the soil or use a green bin.
• Make a nutritious pot of soup to use up veggies and avoid waste.