Eat Wisely

Plan meals, shopping & food storage

Why? You can prevent food waste in so many ways. Some steps are relatively simple and just require a little planning so you use all the food you buy.

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Understand food date labels

Why? Far too often, people throw away food that’s still edible – this is often due to confusing food date labels.

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Share or preserve extra food

Why? Sometimes extra food is unavoidable. For example, maybe you hosted a big party and misjudged how much people would eat. Start by sending folks home with “doggy bags” or check to see if a neighbor is interested.  Another way to make use of extra food is to preserve it.

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Compost and use Compost Hub

Why? By doing so, you’ll be turning uneaten scraps into a valuable soil additive instead of methane. That’s what you can call a win-win!

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Call Alameda Backyard Growers (ABG) to pick your fruit for Food Bank

Why? Alameda Backyard Growers (ABG) is a network of gardeners in Alameda, California who are interested in growing food and donating extra fruit and vegetables to the Alameda Food Bank. 

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Choose less meat & better meat

Why? Vegans and vegetarians have diets with the least impact on the environment and climate. On our current path, Earth will warm by 1 degree by 2100 from agricultural emissions alone – with meat and dairy responsible for about 60% of this warming.

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Understand food certification labels

Why? To make powerful informed choices about your health when shopping in supermarkets, check labels to learn as much as you can about the food you’re buying.

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Support local and regenerative farming

Why: It stands to reason that buying locally and seasonally is best for the climate. It means your food travels a shorter distance from farm to fork, reducing transportation emissions.

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Grow your own food

Why? First, you’ll likely save on your food budget. Plus, research shows that gardening boosts mood as much as exercise! There may be nothing quite as satisfying as getting your hands in soil or walking out to your garden and harvesting a gorgeous ripe tomato or lovely Meyer lemon. But maybe equally satisfying? Sharing extras with your neighbors, friends, or community members in need.

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Choose Organic Produce

Why? Support the environment and animals while gaining greater nutritional value.

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Use reusable bags & containers

Why? Using reusable bags and containers avoids the environmental harms caused by food packaging and single use-packaging for household goods.

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Buy in bulk - do a team taste test!

Why? Not only will you reduce your use of packaging, but you’ll often save a little money as well.

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Recycle effectively

Why? Does “recycling effectively” seem like an oxymoron? Or at the least, extremely challenging to do? If so, you’re not alone. It is complicated and it’s not your fault. That’s why California’s new Extended Producer Responsibility Act is a step in the right direction, putting the onus where it belongs – on the producer. Still, we can each do our part to recycle more effectively. 

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