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To wrap up week one’s focus on planning, we are going to discuss ways to keep track of the food you buy.
Start with what you have
One easy way to prevent wasted food is to simply be aware of what you have and use that first. Know what is in your freezer, pantry, and refrigerator while you create your meal plan and before you go out (or online) to grocery shop.
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Just like with meal planning, you can keep your inventory on paper or use digital tools.
Keep a written inventory inside a pantry door or on the outside of the refrigerator to see what you have at a glance. Download free printable sheets from I Value Food or Shelf Cooking to get you started.
Or go digital and try a food inventory app such as Cooklist, Pantry Check, Cozzo, or Foodkeeper. These apps let you keep mobile lists and include helpful perks like “use it up” reminders, shelf-life estimates, and item pricing.
Consider using your kitchen inventory to create a reverse grocery list, where you start with what you have to make sure you don't buy duplicates.
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If you’re planning to focus on keeping track of the food you have, choose these actions in the planning category:
- Keep a food inventory
- Try a food tracking app
Hennepin County and Stop Food Waste Challenge partners are hosting several free events throughout the challenge. Find a full list of events here.
 Q and A with Hennepin Environment
Thursday, August 11 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Do you have burning questions about how to prevent food waste in your home or community? Hennepin County’s Environment and Energy staff will be on deck to answer your questions all day!
Follow us on Instagram and check our stories to participate.
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Produce preparation demonstration with Chef Christopher Loew
Tuesday, August 16 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Eastside Food Co-op community room - 2551 NE Central Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55418
Chef Christopher Loew will host a live demonstration on how to prepare and preserve fresh produce to make sure it doesn’t go to waste. He will share simple techniques and recipes for homegrown and store-bought veggies.
Register for the live demonstration.
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Remember to complete the food waste tracking survey by the end of the day on August 12. Everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a raffle to earn a prize.
Ten winners will get their choice of a $50 gift card to a local grocery store or a low-waste shopping bag kit, and one grand prize winner will receive a personal planning session with Executive Chef Liz Mullen of Chowgirls! Chef Liz will share her food waste fighting expertise by working with you to review the food you have on hand, talk about food saving tips, and develop a meal plan or recipes to use it up.
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Stop Food Waste Challenge tips
Check out the resources section for video tutorials on participating in the challenge and interacting with teams, as well as a media kit and social media resources for sharing with others.
Your personal dashboard is your central activity hub. You can edit your actions and profile settings, manage your team if you are a team captain, and check in to mark your actions as complete.
Engaging with the challenge platform and completing actions gets you points. You can compete against friends or just check your individual or team ranking. For a complete guide on how to gain points, visit the points page.
We would like to send a big thank our amazing partner organizations for helping us spread the word and recruit participants for this challenge!
Chowgirls
City of Eden Prairie
City of Golden Valley
City of Minneapolis
City of Minnetonka
City of St. Louis Park
Community Exchange for Change
East Isles Farmers Market
Eastside Food Co-op
The Food Group MN
Lakewinds Food Co-op
Mill City Farmer's Market
Securian Financial
Seeds Feeds
Tangletown Neighborhood Association
Tare Market
Zero(ish) Co.
Monday, August 1: Get to know what you throw
Wednesday, August 3: Meal planning to waste less and save more
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