We can compost. We can make a freezer inventory. We can force everyone in the family to become members of the “clean plate club.” (This should go over well with a six-month-old.) I read somewhere that 25% of the food we buy ends up getting tossed. If the average three-person family (two adults and a toddler) spends just over $400 on the U.S.D.A.’s “thrifty plan,” that means they’re tossing one hundred dollars’ worth of food away each month!

So how else can we avoid wasting food? Here are some ideas:

Use portion control. If you make your own baby food, freeze it in small portions and dole it out slowly.

Be creative and try to avoid throwing out partially-eaten food. In the Tightwad Gazette Journal, Amy Dacyczyn makes a miniature apple crisp for her child out of an apple he took just a bite or two out of. Save the half-eaten fruits your baby leaves behind in the freezer and blend into smoothies when you have enough.

Make lists of perishable items so you don’t leave produce languishing in the fridge.

Eat strategically. If you have a fridge full of lettuce, broccoli, potatoes, carrots, and beets, what do you need to eat tonight? Lettuce doesn’t last nearly as long as carrots—so have a salad!

Use the freezer. I used to waste food when I’d stick leftovers in the fridge with no plan of eating them within the next couple days. Stick food in the freezer instead—but don’t forget about it there! You can freeze more than you might think, including eggs, milk, and rice.

Be less squeamish. Most people around the world rely much less on refrigeration than we do in the U.S. and live to tell about it. If you reheat leftovers to the point that they’re steaming, you’ll most likely succeed in killing anything dangerous.  If you are truly paranoid about food poisoning, just be diligent about portion control and freezing to avoid throwing out “spoiled” food.

I’ve got to say that food waste is one of my pet issues; I can’t believe I haven’t written more on the subject here on the Green Baby Guide! I can’t believe I don’t have an entire blog devoted to the subject like this guy does! I can’t believe I didn’t come up with this Food Waste Reduction Challenge like Crunchy Chicken did! When I think of all the energy that goes into producing, packaging, and transporting  food—only to have it tossed it in the trash, where it emits dangerous greenhouse gasses as it rots in a landfill, I become consumed by guilt. But then I think of more ways to avoid waste, and I feel better. Phew.

How do you prevent food waste? Let us know!

Thinking of ways to prevent food waste works for me! For more Works for Me Wednesday ideas, head on over to We Are THAT Family.