Prevent Food Waste

​In Minnesota, food and compostable paper make up 25 percent of our trash. Forty percent of that tossed food could have been eaten before it spoiled.

Food is the largest part of our trash in Minnesota. In Dakota County, household trash usually ends up in a landfill where the food rots. This produces methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.​

​What you can do

Shop smarter

• Think about how many meals you will eat at home for the week.
• Plan meals around what ingredients you already have.
• Buy only what you need.

Know the difference between "sell by" and "use by"  dates

Prep now, cook later

• Chop, slice and store ingredients you will use in the next few days.
• Freeze meats that you won't use right away.
• Cook large batches and freeze smaller portions.

Store to make it last

• Store leftover food in air-tight containers.
• Create an “eat first" section in your fridge that is easy to see.
• Date and label leftovers.
  

Tools to help

Use these tools to help reduce your food waste and save money and resources.

• Use the Track What You Toss Sheet  for a few weeks to understand the foods that don't get eaten.
• Use themeal planner sheet to write out weekly meals and ingredients. 
• Use theKitchen Inventory Sheet to remember what's in your fridge, freezer and pantry.
• Learn how to store food​ to keep it lasting longer.
• Browse Savethefood.com or BigOven to get creative with leftover ingredients. Soups, smoothies, burritos and potpies are easy and delicious ways to repurpose leftovers.​