5 Easy Steps To A Zero-Waste Kitchen

At the end of April, the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) and the New School joined forces to launch the inaugural Zero Waste Food Conference. The two-day conference focused on how to discover better methods for the way we produce, distribute, consume and dispose of our food. The conference garnered the participation of some of the biggest names in food — keynote speakers included Massimo Bottura, Missy Robbins, and Doug Rauch. Attendees who snagged a ticket were able to view expert discussion panels and participate in live demonstrations covering everything from "Repurposing Food Waste" and "Whole Hog Butchery" to homebrewing beer techniques using leftover bread.

With the bounty of knowledge shared through the conference, the largest takeaway was how everyday consumers can make an impact by adopting zero-waste practices in their own kitchens.

Food Storage
Chef Dan Kluger of Loring Place encourages home cooks to practice proper food storage to decrease food waste. Make sure to freeze any extra breads, meats, or produce you know won't use within the week.

Use the Scraps
Take a look in your garbage and make note of what you're throwing away. Most likely those vegetable scraps can be used to make stock, and that bacon grease from Sunday brunch would make an excellent biscuit. That's at least what Chris Andersen and Patrick de Munecas of Mangalitsa by Møsefund say. Because the produce some of the most sought-after hogs in the industry, they make sure no part of their valuable hogs goes to waste, including the fat.

Don't Overbuy
ICE's Lead Culinary Chef Instructor Sabrina Sexton says simply buying less food when shopping is a good place to start. It's tempting to stock the refrigerator for the week with one big trip to the grocery store, but the average consumer throws away about 40 percent of their food — clearly people overbuy. Try shortening the shopping list and commit to shopping more frequently for fewer items.

Leftover Night
Another easy thing to do is make one night a week "leftover night." Sort through the refrigerator, pantry and freezer once a week, to track what's in them. Plan a meal that uses up whatever is around so it doesn't get wasted.

Donate Your Food
If there are items you know won't get used, see if they could be donated to a food pantry or if someone else could use them.