

Laurel Bieschke
Points Total
- 0 Today
- 0 This Week
- 743 Total
Participant Impact
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up to44pounds of CO2have been saved
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up to1documentarieswatched
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up to19poundsfood waste prevented
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up to17zero-waste mealsconsumed
Laurel's Actions
Shopping
Eat Before Shopping
I will resist impulse buys by eating a snack or meal before going grocery shopping.Those who grocery shop on an empty stomach spend 64% more than not-hungry shoppers.
Cooking
Fresh Herbs/Teas
I will use all parts of the herbs I harvest and feed my used tea leaves the herb garden.
Shopping
Local Meat
I will chose locally-sourced meat and/or question whether or I can use an alternative to meat in order to reduce overall consumption.
Cooking
Revive Limp Produce
I will rescue limp produce like leafy greens or carrots by soaking them in cold water or using them in recipes where appearance doesn't matter.
Planning
Use a Portion Planner
I will use a portion size guide to ensure appropriate portions when cooking. I will cook 1 portion-appropriate meals.
Planning
Track My Wasted Food
I will keep notes on all the food that my household of 2 throws out so I can learn how what we're wasting, how much, and why it goes to waste.
Cooking
Veggie Scrap Stock
I will store vegetable scraps in my freezer and use them to make veggie stock. I will make 1 batches.
Community
Volunteer to Rescue Food
I will volunteer 4 hours to support existing community food waste reduction and recovery efforts like gleaning or for a food bank.
Community
Train Like a Chef
I will watch 1 online classes on "Creating a Full Use Kitchen" through the James Beard Foundation.
Cooking
Save the Peels
When life gives me lemons (or other citrus peels), I will use the rinds to make a nontoxic cleaner.
Feed
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Reflection QuestionCommunity Train Like a ChefHow can you set up your kitchen differently to optimize the time you spend there?
Laurel Bieschke 10/11/2020 11:17 AMI have added a space for freezer containers so I can collect veggie scraps to save for stock vs. just tossing them in the compost bin. I will also keep a corner free for hanging herbs to dry, especially now that we will have frost soon and my plants need to be cut back for the season. -
Reflection QuestionPlanning Track My Wasted FoodWhat did you learn by tracking your wasted food? Was there anything that surprised you?
Laurel Bieschke 10/03/2020 2:51 PMI learned that I am too much of a sucker for good deals, which unfortunately leads to waste at times. I wasted an onion due to purchasing a bag of them and not using them fast enough. I also wasted ½ a container of strawberries. They were on sale, but unfortunately out of season and went bad within 1-2 days. -
Reflection QuestionCooking Save the PeelsWhich citrus do you have the most of and what kind of cleaning product will you make?
Laurel Bieschke 9/30/2020 8:58 PMMandarin oranges. The non-toxic kitchen cleaner was a pretty easy project and will also save money on not buying Citra-Solv. -
Reflection QuestionCooking Veggie Scrap StockHave you ever made soup broth from scratch before? What kinds of vegetables do you have on hand to put in?
Laurel Bieschke 9/26/2020 2:06 PMI have made broth from whole herbs and veggies before (onions, carrots, mushrooms, celery, etc) but this is the first time I have added peels and other parts that I would have normally composted. I was surprised by how many clippings I had stored up in my freezer over these last couples of weeks. -
Reflection QuestionCooking Revive Limp ProduceWhat successes have you had in reviving limp produce? What can you do so that your produce doesn't go limp in the future?
Laurel Bieschke 9/15/2020 3:57 PMTo keep green onions and herbs from going limp I stand them up in a small jar of water and cover the tops loosely with a bag. Ice water helps revive most everything. If produce is really beyond reviving I slice it up and stick it in the dehydrator. -
Reflection QuestionPlanning Use a Portion PlannerHave you noticed any trends in the types of food that you don't make in the right amount?
Laurel Bieschke 9/14/2020 3:21 PMI often make larger portions in order to have leftovers during the week, which helps me reduce overall waste since fresh items don't linger in the fridge past their prime. However, I was surprised today to learn that a regular serving of peanut butter is only 2 tbsp. Oof! That was hard to stick to because I eat it out of jar every chance I get :) -
Reflection QuestionShopping Eat Before ShoppingWhat can you do to make sure you never shop hungry?
Laurel Bieschke 9/14/2020 3:15 PMNow that apple season is here I always travel with an extra 1-2 in case I'm hungry while driving home from work or on my way to/from the grocery story. This helps me avoid impulse buys at the grocery store and increase my daily fruit intake. I don't think I've ever had too many apples.