Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge: Learn to Waste Less Food & Save on Groceries

Join the Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge and learn to reduce your family’s “foodprint”

By Kate O'Sullivan September 20, 2021

If you find yourself throwing away a lot of food before you can eat it, or you just want to learn how to save money and help protect the environment, consider joining the The Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge. Participants will receive more than 50 tips on how to reduce household food waste and save money on grocery bills.

Americans throw out between 30-40 percent of the food that is produced in the country, which is an economic, social, and environmental problem. There are many reasons food gets wasted: on the farms it could be due to bad weather or overproduction, or it could sit too long in the grocery store. But household food waste is a result of overbuying, poor planning, improper storage, and confusion about sell by labels and expiration dates.

5 Things You Need to Know About the Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge

What is the Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge?

The Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge is an interactive, community initiative to raise public awareness about food waste. Participants will learn how to cut down their “foodprint” with easy strategies that will not only reduce what they are tossing in the garbage, but also save money and time. They will get ideas on how to better organize the refrigerator and store food so it has a maximum shelf life. Plus, they’ll learn safety tips for preparing leftovers and how to substitute ingredients into recipes so you can use what you have on hand.

Through short videos, text messages, and emails, participants will stay connected with the community, share their experiences, and see what others are up through hashtags, stories, and live videos. They will also hear from local chefs, farmers, and other food experts on best practices when it comes to shopping, keeping food fresh, and creating delicious recipes from what you have in the house.

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Why should my family participate in the Food Waste Challenge?

The Food Waste Challenge will save you money at the grocery store, decrease the time you spend planning and preparing meals, teach your kids about healthy eating and managing money, and help you protect the environment and give back to your community.

How long does it run?

The challenge lasts for six weeks and will only take approximately 25 minutes a week. It is designed to fit into your busy lifestyle and can be done at your own time and pace.

What materials do I need to participate in the Food Waste Challenge?

The only things needed to participate are small garbage bags, a small kitchen scale, and the desire to feel good about making a positive change in your current food-waste habits.

The $25 registration fee provides access to the online community, a toolkit, resources to help track your success, a very cool T-shirt, and the opportunity to win great prizes.

How will the it help my family?

Your family will create new, healthy eating habits, and you will be helping to protect the environment.

“The Food Waste Challenge is a great activity for the whole family to do together, in your neighborhood or get your school involved in,” says Janet Irizarry, founder of Hudson Valley Eats, which was started 5 years ago to focus attention on the great food entrepreneurs and restaurant owners in the Hudson Valley. “The United States Food Waste Reduction Goal is to reduce food waste by half by 2030, the UN Global initiative is to do it by 2050. As Hudson Valley residents, wouldn’t it be great to do our part to support these efforts as best we can? Each one of us by ourselves may feel there is nothing we can do about climate change, but I promise you, together we can make a difference.”

Irizarry has partnered with many nonprofits in the Hudson Valley that offer food assistance, food rescue, and food education programs. Her mission is to make sure everyone in the Hudson Valley EATS, not just those who can afford it. She encourages us all to join the Food Waste Challenge, emphasizing that it is “a Win-Win-Win! It will make your life easier, save you money and combat climate change. Something that makes you feel that good doesn't come along that often, so take advantage of the opportunity now. The challenge starts on Monday, and we want you in it!”

For more information, visit hudsonvalleyeats.com or follow Hudson Valley Eats on Facebook and Instagram.