Those idioms. I failed to mention that the word “idiom” is one letter away from “idiot.” Not that the two reflect one another. However, those phrases are full of food. Don’t spill the beans. The watch pot never boils. Don’t put your eggs all in one basket. It’s a piece of cake.
Food, glorious food. We love it. But we tend to waste it, and as such, food waste is a terrible problem in the United States. Americans waste approximately 133 billion pounds of food per year. That adds up to 31% of the total food supply, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
But why? Well, they conducted a survey and found a few main food waste culprits.
One reason food ends up in the trash is that buyers simply don’t feel like eating it. More than 38% reported throwing out perfectly good food for this reason. That’s a lousy excuse if you ask me.
Here’s the other thing. People will cook the food they buy. You know, make a dish. And once they’ve had a couple scoops of Johnny Marzetti, they throw the leftovers away. About 85% of people do this.
All of this information comes from a recent study. And in those results, the respondents identified ten foods they throw away the most.
I have some personal thoughts on those ten foods. Included in the list are the percentages of respondents who voted them most difficult.
Lettuce (27%) — I don’t like lettuce as much as I used to. There was a time when I enjoyed a salad. But these days, they seem futile. The ones that are good for you don’t taste like much because they primarily contain lettuce with very little dressing. They also lack in those tasty ingredients like grated creamy cheese and fatty homemade croutons. Nope. And nope. And one more thing. I think Kale should be outlawed. But as for Romaine and Swiss Chard? Let the bunnies feast.
Bananas (23%) — It has to be a pretty rough banana before I will throw it out. Besides that? Most places let you choose how many bananas you buy. Wasting these is operator error.
Milk (21%) — I don’t drink milk. Not for a long time. But, in the past, I’ve thrown away some pretty nasty versions of milk. It is amazing how quickly solids form. Smile and say cheese curds.
Apples (21%) — Just like it was a sin to bite the apple in Eden, it is a big sin to throw away an apple. I eat them before they have a chance of going bad. And it takes a looonnnnnng time for an apple to go wrong.
Bread (21%) — They say you shouldn’t keep it in the fridge, but I do. I haven’t thrown out bread in many, many years. Decades and decades. Keep it cool, baby.
Avocado (17%) — Now, here is something that can turn on you in New York minute. Talk about a traitor. One minute it is too hard to cut with a jack hammer, and the next, it is some brown, poopy mess lying on your counter. I love an avocado. But. Geez, they have a dark side.
Deli items, such as meat, cheese, and prepared foods (16%) — Cryogenics for deli meat. The freezer is your friend here.
Eggs (16%) — Eggs go bad? I eat more eggs than apples. So I wouldn’t know.
Meat (15%) — See deli items. Freeze it until you’re ready to use it. Simple.
Carrots (14%) — When I was a kid and saw Bugs Bunny for the first time, I asked my mom if I could have carrots. I’ve loved them since I heard Bugs chomp, “What’s Up, Doc?”
So there it is. A look at wasting food or not.
I am thankful for the bounty of food. I hope and pray we will always have a planet with enough food.
And this: “Enough food is produced today to feed everyone on the planet, but hunger is on the rise in some parts of the world, and some 821 million people are considered to be “chronically undernourished.” — United Nations
And so we go.
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“You can’t just eat good food. You’ve got to talk about it too. And you’ve got to talk about it to somebody who understands that kind of food.”
― Kurt Vonnegut, Jailbird
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“Whoever thought a tiny candy bar should be called fun size was a moron.”
― Glenn Beck
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“All sorrows are less with bread.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
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Thank goodness our bellies are full. Along with our refrigerators.
