#FoodWasteFriday: You Are a Meal Champion!
Seasonal changes can be a natural point in which to organize your environment, create fresh goals, and introduce new habits. With temperatures cooling and the daily rhythms beginning to change with the start of school, we have a few tools to help make meal planning seem like second nature. Did you know by planning your meals and shopping accordingly you have just checked off one of the top ways to reduce food waste in your home?
Also, let's be real. 2020 has handed all of us enough things to navigate and be aware of, so food waste reduction can often go to the bottom of the to-do list. Why don’t you hit the easy button with these meal planning tools below and call it a day? Done and done!
Friendly Reminders:
Clean out and assess the items in your fridge on a weekly basis.
Store produce and food items appropriately. We love this fun visual by @eco with em_!
Be aware of the shelf life of produce and other food items. Eat easily spoiled items first.
Up your storage game. May we recommend staying away from plastic storage containers and opting for glass? Your body (and your leftovers!) will thank you!
Don’t forget about breakfast…and snacks! These are often the two areas area of our daily eating that go unplanned for.
Plan meals that make for great leftovers, either as a next-day-lunch or a quick dinner option.
Plan for a “hobo meal” of a frittata, soup, stew, or a pasta dish at the end of the week to act as a catch-all for leftovers and odds n’ ends that need to be eaten.
Don’t forget about the freezer. Made too much? Don’t feel like eating that again? Freeze it!
MEAL PLANNING TOOLS
Printable:
OnPlanners - Lots of styles to choose from! (FYI: It does require an email address to download the pdf of your choosing!)
EvoPrintables - We love this digital bundle pack for its freezer and pantry inventory sheets!
CottageMarket - Who doesn’t like free and fun? We’re in!
101Planner - This planner website is for those of us who like to customize things!
Apps:
MealTime - Your recipes, meal planning, and grocery list all in one place.
Paprika - Are you a recipe hoarder? This app is for you then!
MealPrepPro - Do you pride yourself on being prepared and uber-organized? MealPrepPro may just be your ticket!
BigOven - This website and app states that it’s the best digital menu planner, recipe finder, and grocery list holder out there. It has over 500,000 recipes to help you decide what to do with those weird leftover items, too! We may be in love!
Physical Planners and Meal Boards:
This dry erase meal board includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which we love!
Who doesn’t like simple and tear-off? We think this note pad is perfect for those of us who embrace the no-frills style of life!
This one is for those of us who like to see where we are going…and where we have been. A 52-week meal planner, book style.
Did we miss a great app, website, or meal planning tool? Have a suggestion or feedback for us? Don’t be shy, contact us!
