Food waste: We can do better in 2018

Households in Pierce County throw away 203 pounds of food per year on average. One third of what enters our landfill is wasted food.

Our neighbor to the south, Thurston County, utilized food rescue programs and recovered 63,660 pounds of food in one year, and with it served almost 40,000 meals to people in need.

Green bean casserole, star-shaped cookies, cider and pie all make happy holiday memories. We can balance these with friends and family while forging ahead with frugality and creativity in the new year.

In 2018, we can eat up our leftovers. We can shop from the imperfect produce shelf so the uglies don’t get tossed out.

Next time you’re at your favorite restaurant, consider asking if anyone picks up their unserved food at the end of each day.

For tips on food rescue and saving money on food expense, visit piercecountywa.org/lesswaste.

This story was originally published January 10, 2018 at 11:24 AM with the headline "Food waste: We can do better in 2018."