Eat Me First Activity Earth Day 2021 Activity

 

You can help your family become more earth friendly by being food smart! Do you like decorating or using stickers? Here’s a chance for that.

 

Did you know??

 

• that an average family of four in this country spends $1,600 a year on food that gets thrown away?

 

• that producing so much food that doesn’t get eaten causes lots of environmental problems?

 

• that on average 50% of what is going into our landfills are food waste?

 

Here are some tips your family can follow to save money and help the planet at the same time!

 

• Buy what you’ll eat

Plan what you’ll need for the coming week and check for ingredients you already have before shopping.

• Buy local

Our local farms need your support. And greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced if we’re not transporting food for thousands of miles.

• Buy in season

Growing out of season uses more energy if grown locally, and uses more energy if grown far away and transported here.

• Eat what you buy

For items that need to be used quickly, designate an “Eat Me First” area of the fridge. But you get to make the sign!

• Good use of leftovers

Get creative. Combine leftovers to make tasty soups or stir fry.

• Smart storage

Keep fruits and vegetables fresher longer by storing them properly. Here’s a link to an article to learn more about that! https://savethefood.com/storage

• Food Surplus

If you grow food and there’s too much for you to consume, share it with neighbors friends or find ways to can it or freeze it for later.

 

To help your family organize items in your refrigerator, make a sign that says: “Eat Me First!”. Decorate it however you want, and take a picture of it and post it to the EcoQuest app. You can tape it a vegetable drawer or put it on a basket or a shelf in your refrigerator. You choose!