Make a Meal Plan
Did you know the average American throws away more than 200 pounds of food every year, costing the average household of four $1,800? That’s a lot of food and money to throw out! And food waste creates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. The great news - it’s easy to reduce food waste and save money by creating a meal plan!
Your Impact
Action Steps & Tips
Introduction
Studies show that Americans today waste 50% more food than we did in the 1970s. While this is clearly going in the wrong direction, it also means we have a big opportunity to improve! Just a few easy changes can make a big difference.
It all starts with a bit of planning. By taking just a bit of time to make a weekly meal plan based on your favorite foods before you shop, you’ll streamline your shopping and cooking - and save time, money and food.
Why is this important? Right now, about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food waste. Reducing your household food waste by making a meal plan helps eliminate some of those emissions, and means that the land, water and energy that produced your food will go to good use.
1Think about what you eat
Write down your favorite meals. To start off your meal plan, think about what you like to eat. Make a list of your household’s favorite meals, from special treats to easy weeknight recipes for busy days, and keep it somewhere that’s easy to find. This way you’ll have lots of great inspiration when you’re making your grocery list!
Check out what you throw out. Look for patterns in your food waste. Do you often buy cucumbers and then forget about them until they get weird and slimy? Think about these patterns when planning your meals and adjust your shopping list. You are less likely to forget about ingredients if you’re planning to use them on a specific night. Use this Fridge Reality Check to help you understand what gets thrown out in your home.
Save even more by storing food properly! Check out our Store it, Serve it and Share it Action for more tips.
2Make a plan
Shop your pantry. Before you plan your meals, figure out what you already have. It might seem obvious but you’ll be surprised what you find when you take a closer look! This way you can plan meals based on what’s on your shelves and in your fridge and only buy what you really need.
Make a weekly meal plan. Here we go! (It may sound daunting, but it’s really easy!)
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First, decide how many meals you want to make at home this week. (Takeout is part of the plan too!)
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Next, choose which recipes you’ll cook based on your schedule for the week. Choose easy meals or leftovers for busy nights! This is where your list of favorite meals comes in really handy.
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Finally, think about choosing meals with common ingredients. You’ll simplify your shopping trip and reduce food waste even more - a theme for the week!
Make a shopping list. Look at each meal for the week and write down the ingredients you need, including the quantities. And don’t forget - check your pantry and cross off anything on your list that you already have at home.
Now you’re ready to go shopping! Follow your plan and you’re on your way to significantly reducing your food waste, and saving yourself a lot of time and money.
3Use your plan and enjoy the benefits!
Follow your plan. It’s time to make your meals! Now, instead of trying to figure out your dinner on the fly after a long day, you have a clear plan and all the ingredients you need to get cooking.
If you have to throw it out, compost it! When you have to get rid of food, consider composting it! When food goes to the landfill it releases methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. In your compost bin it’ll produce carbon instead as it decomposes, and turn into fertilizer that you can use in your garden! Check out our Compost Action for more tips.
Amazing work! You’re on your way to significantly reducing your food waste, and saving yourself a lot of time and money.
4Figure out how much food you're saving
Measure your food waste before and after taking action. To figure out how much food you throw away, take a container and use it to track the food you throw out. Fill up the container and empty it when it’s full. Before you start this action, track the number of containers you filled in a week, add it up and record it as your starting number. Then measure and record it again after you have taken these actions to see how much you have reduced!
It is easy to use a quart container to measure, but you can use a container of any size if you know its volume. Common container sizes: Pint = 2 cups, Quart = 4 cups, Gallon = 16 cups. Once you find out how much food waste you have reduced in a week, convert it to cups and record it in the action question above.
You might be surprised at what you find! According to the USDA, average food waste for a family of 4 is 45 to 60 cups (11 to 15 quarts) a week. See how you compare! Reducing food waste has a BIG impact (= lots of points!).