OLYMPIA, Wash.-According to the Washington State Food Center 500,000 tons of edible food are wasted across the state every year, with the highest percentage of food being tossed during the holidays.
The Washington State Department of Ecology is encouraging everyone to embrace a few simple steps to enjoy the holidays free of food waste this season.
Ecology launched a Use Food Well webpage to help residents of the Evergreen State make their holiday meal last longer and reduce food waste.
Use Food Well offers ideas on how to shop smarter with detailed planning, how to make new dishes with leftovers, how to make leftovers last longer, recipes and more to reduce food waste.
Tips for a waste-free holiday.
Assign meal planning responsibilities: Provide those bringing food with an accurate list of guests so food is not overprepared. Think ahead about food storage: Provide a stack of food storage containers so guests can take home leftovers. Extend the life of leftovers by refrigerating within 2 hours.