How to avoid food waste OR How cheese can make everything better

We’ve all been there – stuck with too many things to cook but not enough time. I know no one wants to throw away food, but it’s also takes some time and energy to think how to use it all in a delicious way. Here are a few ideas about how to save your produce and leftovers:

STUFF: Too many bell peppers, zucchinis, mushrooms, cabbage, or even tomatoes? Use whatever is in your fridge or pantry to stuff them, top with cheese and bake. This gives them a nice upgrade and expands their life so they don't rot! Examples for stuffings:
Pre-cooked: Quinoa, Rice. Chicken. Beef
Canned/jarred: Beans, Salsa, Corn, Peas

RESHAPE: Have too many potatoes or sweet potatoes? Cut them to fries or chips and voila- you have a fun and healthy way to snack them. This can also work with carrots!

BLEND: Throwing things into a blender is an adventure, but can definitely create new variations. Think hummus: Take a base and add different things that might compliment it. Banana nice-cream is a classic (with frozen banana and cacao powder), but also try any sort of beans and spices to create different dips or spreads.

REPURPOSE, aka throw some cheese on it: Tired of eating that same chicken over and over again? Cut it to small pieces and throw on some chips. salsa and cheese for homemade nachos. Think pizza. You can’t really go wrong here. Eating leftovers was never meant to be boring! *Vegan cheese totally works too.

HALF IT: Only have half of a cup left from a can, but the recipe calls for a whole cup? Don’t give up! Just cut the recipe in half. It’s still worth it!

**This post it dedicated to my old roommate Mary Starkey and to my cousin Naomi (who never liked eating leftovers… )