Ecology encourages Washingtonians to 'Use Food Well' this holiday season

OLYMPIA  –  Nobody likes to see food go to waste, especially during the holiday season. Why not get inspired this holiday season? A few simple tips can help you reduce waste and save money.

When food ends up in the trash, it means wasted money – but once that trash ends up in a landfill, it also produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. To help holiday hosts reduce the amount of food they waste, the Washington Department of Ecology is launching a holiday edition of its “Use Food Well” food waste prevention campaign.

Washington wastes half a million tons of edible food each year, and the holidays are the peak season for food waste.

The Use Food Well campaign teaches food waste prevention through simple steps like smart shopping, meal planning, and proper food storage. The campaign website https://tinyurl.com/4zxwcam6 now includes holiday food-saving tips and recipes. 

Step number one in preventing food waste? Proper storage. For instance, raw foods should always be kept separate from cooked foods, fruits, and vegetables. Food staples like flour, sugar, and other dry goods should be stored in a cool, dry place and sealed in containers or storage bags to maintain their taste and freshness.

“Food waste is bad for the environment and our pocketbooks,” said Ecology’s solid waste program manager Peter Lyon. “It’s not small change. When people make choices that help use food well and reduce waste, it can add to real savings, especially during holiday celebrations.”

Recent data from ReFED at https://refed.org, a non-profit that tracks food waste across the U.S., shows that the average family wastes about $3,000 annually.

When food waste and other organic material enter a landfill, it produces methane – a greenhouse gas that has 80 times the climate impact of carbon dioxide in the short term. In Washington, about 16% of methane and 2% of carbon dioxide emissions come from organic material decomposing in landfills. The most effective way to reduce greenhouse gas production in landfills is to prevent food waste and other organic materials from reaching them in the first place.

Washington is partnering with Pacific Coast Collaborative, a group of West Coast states and cities, and British Columbia, working together to cut food waste in half by 2030. Go to the https://tinyurl.com/3xzf2fv6  for more information on the collaboration.

This past spring, Ecology kicked off a partnership with Safeway stores by introducing a food waste reduction campaign to help inspire change. Select Safeway and Albertson stores will promote the Use Food Well messaging again in spring 2025 during National Food Waste Prevention Week.

“Farmers, restauranteurs, chefs, and grocery stores all bring different perspectives and ideas to the table that are vital to achieving our goal of wasting less food,” said Jade Monroe, a food waste reduction expert with Ecology. “Partnering with Safeway allows us to put tips and tricks right in the grocery aisle.” 

Ecology is also partnering with celebrity chef Joel Gamoran and his company Homemade. Chef Joel is a passionate food waste reduction culinary ambassador for the campaign, who will share holiday-leftover-inspired recipes and provide tips on saving money through proper storage and creative cooking. 

More information about food waste reduction in Washington and tools and resources to help people make informed choices are available at usefoodwell.org.