The Natural Resources Defense Council recently released a study indicating that at least 40% of food in the United States is wasted. That amounts to Americans discarding the monetary equivalent of $165 billion each year! And the food that winds up in landfills contributes almost 25% of methane gas emissions also known as greenhouse gas. I get to admit something; I am part of that statistic. As a result, I am changing my ways and asking my friends and readers to let me know which foods they waste the most in their households. I will post some foodcycling solutions.
Take the guessing game out your freezer. Let’s start with a simple habit of putting dates on any food you put in the freezer and don’t have the ask yourself,”How long has that been in there?”
First up this week is:
Bread keeps in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you know your bread habits, such as you only use half the bread by the time it starts to mold, freeze and store the rest. It is super easy to just take our frozen slices when you need it and put in the toaster or oven.
You could also make breadcrumbs. Lay bread out on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until it is crisp, 10-15 minutes on each side. Then put in a food processor and pulse. If you make sure the moisture was completely taken our of your bread before processing, you can store the breadcrumbs in a tight container for 6 months in a cool, dry place or in the fridge for a year. In the freezer, they will virtually keep forever.
Option three would be make bread pudding. I have a dairy free recipe but want to recipher test it first with some new adjutments.
Hopefully these suggestions support you in reducing your bread waste.
