Category Archives: Household

Indoor Composting

The verdict is in on the NatureMill indoor composting system–not so hot. This review echoes the sentiment of Wasted Food reader Sandy who expressed her disappointment via comment. It’s a shame that the NatureMill doesn’t smell so hot, because I was hoping it’d be an answer for urban dwellers without composting space. The contraption has […]

February 26, 2008 | Also posted in Composting, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

For you science-minded folks, here’s the Table of Condiments that Periodically Go Bad. I love the idea and the title, but disagree with some of the cautious estimates. When was the last time you threw away ketchup after five months (or spelled it ‘ketsup’)? — — This blogger and I could be fast friends. Check […]

February 15, 2008 | Also posted in College, Friday Buffet, International, Restaurant, Trayless | Comments closed

Try to clean your plate

A reader recently sent me this article about Haitians so poor they’ve resorted to making cookies from mud, salt and vegetable shortening and I’ve been wrestling with whether to pass it along. While I don’t want to be manipulative and say, ‘See, these kids eat mud cookies, you shouldn’t waste food,’ I sort of do. […]

February 7, 2008 | Also posted in History and Culture, Hunger, International | Comments closed

Leftover Buffet

Boulder, Colo., is contemplating curbside food waste collection by truck. Alternately, they could reduce costs and emissions by sending around Ralphie (see right). Well, most of the emissions. — — This interesting New York Times piece examines North Jersey beefsteaks, the mostly male, meat-eating affairs. In it, the author (who also keeps an entertaining blog […]

February 4, 2008 | Also posted in History and Culture, International, School | Comments closed

The “Egg in Box” Interview

Egg in a Box, a site run by two Chinese-food-loving sisters, has one aim: getting you to donate your leftover takeout rice to those in need. While Replate asks diners to simply leave their leftovers ‘out’ for the homeless, Egg in a Box prompts people to add a hard-boiled egg to the rice to make […]

January 28, 2008 | Also posted in Q & A, Restaurant | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Thought I’d pass along a few helpful household hints for minimizing waste. Thanks, Little Jelly’s Belly. — — On to one of my favorite topics: cafeteria traylessness. New York’s Morrisville State College is doing a Trayless on Tuesdays experiment in February. If that’s not cool enough, they’re raffling off a Zune just for participating. Insert […]

January 25, 2008 | Also posted in College, Friday Buffet | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

This is a strange story, but any idea that diminishes food waste and increases doughnut supply is a winner in my book. — — From the Jetsons Design Institute: The Loofen Packy. I wonder if the Loofen is related to my Ikea blanket “Bibbi Snurr?” I’m all for this invention, if it actually works. Until […]

January 18, 2008 | Also posted in Friday Buffet, History and Culture | Comments closed

Cars, Supermarkets and Waste

Gordon James, director of Friends of the Earth Cymru (Wales), or Cyfeillion y Ddaear Cymru for the Welsh-speaking crowd, thinks there’d be less food waste if you couldn’t park your car close to the supermarket. The thinking: Since there’s no deterrent to buying an excessive amount of food (often prompted by promotions), we do. While his theory indirectly indicts […]

January 3, 2008 | Also posted in Supermarket | Comments closed

08 Food Waste Wishes

It’s 2008, y’all (Happy New Year!), and high time to cut the amount of food going down the drain. Here are eight wishes for preventing food waste in this year: 1. Wal-Mart resumes food donations of edible but unsellable goods (The store halted its program two years ago). 2. More cities and towns follow the lead of Seattle, […]

January 1, 2008 | Also posted in Composting, Energy, General, Restaurant, Technology | Comments closed

The Weekly Waste Word: New Year’s Parties

It’s New Year’s Eve, you’re planning a party and avoiding food waste is the least of your worries. But you care about the environment and want to minimize the amount of food thrown away. Turns out it doesn’t take all that much effort to do so. This post supplies many practical pointers, both waste-oriented and not. […]

December 31, 2007 | Also posted in The Weekly Waste Word | Comments closed