Ella Graham

GreenCorps

Points Total

0 Today
0 This Week
408 Total

Participant Impact

up to

5.5

pounds

food waste prevented
up to

11

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Ella's Actions

Week 3 Focus: Cooking

Swap This for That

If I am missing an ingredient for a recipe I will find a substitute I have on hand and use that instead.

Completed
One-Time Action

Week 4 Focus: Storage

Create an Eat First Area

I will create an "Eat First" area in my fridge to prioritize food that needs to be used right away for my household of 3.

Uncompleted
One-Time Action

Week 2 Focus: Shopping

Buy Loose Produce and Shop the Bulk Bins

I will buy loose produce or food from the bulk section to get the exact quantity I need.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Week 2 Focus: Shopping

Scrutinize Deals

I will resist the suggestion to buy the quantity advertised on sale and only buy what I know I will eat.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Week 1 Focus: Planning

Create a Weekly Meal Plan

I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu of meals and ingredients for my household of 3.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Storage

Learn About Food Storage

I will learn about food storage and store food based on best practices to keep it from spoiling before it is used.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Storage

Properly Store Herbs

I will store fresh herbs just like cut flowers in a jar with 1 to 2 inches of water and cover with a plastic bag to maintain moisture. For woody or hardy herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage and chives, I will arrange them lengthwise on a damp paper towel, rolled up, then sealed in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator. I will properly store 5 herbs.

Completed
One-Time Action

Storage

Rotate My Foods

When I restock my fridge or pantry, I will put new items in the back and bring older items to the front to be used first.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Week 1 Focus: Planning

Learn About and Choose a Meal Plan Style

I will explore different meal plan techniques and choose one that works for my household.

Uncompleted
One-Time Action

Feed

Reflection Question
Week 2 Focus: Shopping Buy Loose Produce and Shop the Bulk Bins

How has buying bulk impacted the amount of food you waste?

Ella Graham 11/03/2021 10:10 AM

This action is difficult because not all grocery stores have bulk food. I am planning to shop at my local co-op more and bring my own containers for spices, greens, and grains and to be on the look out for bulk food.

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Reflection Question
Week 2 Focus: Shopping Scrutinize Deals

Are you someone who typically chooses what you buy based on what is on sale? How can you make sure you don't buy more than what you need?

Ella Graham 11/01/2021 9:46 AM

One thing I have learned is that there's a deal for 2/$5, you don't have to buy 2 to get the deal. I also remind myself that even if something is on sale, if it wasn't on my list and I decide to buy it, then I am actually not saving money because I'm still spending extra, regardless of the sale price.

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Reflection Question
Storage Rotate My Foods

How has rotating your foods changed your awareness of what you have on hand? Have you changed any of your shopping habits because of this practice?

Ella Graham 10/14/2021 7:03 AM

Rotating food made me cook different meals to use food that was about to go bad. It's also going to help me buy less on quick grocery trips. If I have a general sense of what's already in the fridge, I won't pick something up just because it's on sale, because I'll know if I already have it at home.

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Reflection Question
Storage Learn About Food Storage

Did you find that you were storing food incorrectly? Which items have you changed?

Ella Graham 10/13/2021 2:15 PM

I learned some great tips for making food last longer, like storing herbs in a jar with water rather than keeping them in the plastic container from the store, storing cut veggies in jars of water instead of tupperwares, and storing cheese in a breathable container instead of in an airtight one.

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