Plan your meals in advance to avoid overbuying and wasting food. Store perishable items properly to extend their shelf life. Use leftovers creatively to make new dishes. Compost food scraps instead of throwing them away.

Find out more at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

These tools can help plan meals, create shopping lists, and estimate portion sizes to avoid buying excessive quantities, reduce food waste, or can help you find recipes based on the ingredients you have in your pantry and fridge:

Mealime is a popular meal-planning app offering personalized meal plans based on dietary preferences. It provides recipes, generates shopping lists, and allows you to adjust portion sizes based on the number of servings you need.

Paprika is a comprehensive recipe manager that allows you to plan meals, organize recipes, and create shopping lists. You can quickly scale recipes to adjust portion sizes and avoid overbuying ingredients.

BigOven is a versatile cooking app with a meal planner, recipe organizer, and grocery list manager. It provides portion guidance, allowing you to adjust servings and plan meals accordingly.

Eat This Much is a meal planning app that generates meal plans and shopping lists based on your dietary preferences and goals. It helps you estimate portion sizes and avoids unnecessary food waste.

Love Food Hate Waste is an organization that provides resources, tips, and recipes to help reduce food waste. They offer portion control guides and strategies to help you plan meals and shop wisely.

USDA ChooseMyPlate website provides valuable information on healthy eating, portion control, and meal planning. It offers guidelines and resources to help you estimate appropriate portions and plan balanced meals.

SuperCook allows you to enter the ingredients you have on hand and generates recipe suggestions based on those ingredients. It provides a convenient way to utilize the items in your pantry and reduce food waste.

Yummly offers a "My Kitchen" feature where you can add your ingredients and provides personalized recipe recommendations based on your available ingredients. It also allows you to filter recipes based on dietary restrictions and preferences.

Cookpad is a social cooking app where users share recipes. It includes a "My Fridge" feature where you can add your ingredients and suggest recipes using those ingredients. It also allows you to browse recipes posted by other users.

Epicurious offers a search filter called "Ingredients" that allows you to enter the ingredients you have and provides recipe suggestions based on those ingredients. It's a comprehensive recipe app with a vast collection of recipes from various sources.

Incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet. Choose vegetarian or vegan options at least a few times a week. Replace meat with plant-based protein alternatives, such as organic tofu or legumes.

The Pick Up Limes YouTube channel promotes healthy and balanced living through plant-based nutrition, mindfulness, self-care, and a wealth of delectable plant-based recipes.

The Rainbow Plant Life YouTube channel celebrates the beauty of plant-based cooking. You can explore creative, healthy, visually appealing recipes and join the world of delicious, colorful dishes.

The Downshiftology YouTube channel offers a vast repertoire of recipes that span various cuisines, dietary preferences, and lifestyles. While this channel provides a range of meat-based recipes, it stands out for its exceptional vegetarian and vegan meal options.

Forks Over Knives app provides wholesome, plant-based recipes for a healthy vegan lifestyle. It offers nutritious and delicious dishes that promote well-being and mindful eating.

Minimalist Baker provides access to their easy and delicious plant-based recipes, known for their minimal ingredient lists.

Locally sourced produce reduces transportation emissions and supports the local economy.

Prioritize seasonal fruits and vegetables from local farmers’ markets or CSAs (Community-Supported Agriculture).

Use the Seasonal Food Guide and App to eat fresh, locally sourced produce by plugging in your location and time of year. It comprehensively lists in-season foods, recipes, and sustainability information.

Here are some sources you can explore to find local farmers’ markets and CSAs near your location:

Eat Well Guide is an online directory that promotes sustainable and locally sourced food options, including CSAs. It allows you to search for CSAs by location, providing information on their practices and offerings.

LocalHarvest is a comprehensive online directory that connects consumers with local farmers, CSAs, farmers’ markets, and other sources of sustainably grown food. You can search for CSAs by entering your location on their website.

USDA Local Food Portal provides a comprehensive resource for finding farms, farmers’ markets, and nearby food hubs. It offers information on agritourism, CSA programs, farmers’ markets, food hubs, and on-farm markets.

These online marketplaces provide opportunities to support sustainability and reduce food waste by embracing imperfect produce or surplus food.

Each platform may have variations in availability, delivery options, and product offerings, so it’s worth exploring their websites for more information and determining which aligns best with your needs and location.

Daily Table is a non-profit organization rescues surplus and near-expiration date food to provide affordable, nutritious meals. They have physical stores but also offer an online ordering system.

Misfits Market is an online marketplace that delivers "ugly" or imperfect produce to customers' doors, helping to combat food waste. By rescuing fruits, vegetables, and other items that may be overlooked due to cosmetic imperfections or excess supply, Misfits Market offers an accessible way to support sustainable agriculture and enjoy fresh, nutritious produce.

Imperfect Foods offers a customizable grocery box service that delivers a variety of imperfect, surplus, and organic produce directly to your doorstep. They also provide other grocery items and pantry staples, allowing you to reduce food waste and support sustainable farming practices.

Hungry Harvest is a subscription-based service that rescues and delivers surplus and imperfect produce to customers. They work with local farmers and suppliers to reduce food waste and provide affordable and accessible options for fresh produce.

While not exclusively focused on produce, Too Good To Go is an app connecting consumers with restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores with surplus food. Users can purchase "Magic Bags" containing various food items at a discounted price, helping to prevent edible food from being wasted.

Flashfood is a platform that partners with grocery stores to sell surplus food at discounted prices. Users can purchase items nearing their expiration date or items with packaging changes, helping to reduce food waste and save money on groceries.

FoodMaven partners with producers and suppliers to rescue and redistribute surplus food to consumers. Their online marketplace offers discounted products to help reduce food waste.

Full Harvest connects farmers with buyers to sell surplus or imperfect produce. Their platform helps reduce food waste while providing cost-effective solutions for businesses and consumers.

Being mindful in the kitchen can significantly reduce water waste. Instead of running water while washing dishes, fill the sink or a basin to conserve water. Consider using a dishwasher, which generally uses less water than handwashing. When preparing food, use a basin to collect and reuse water for plants or other purposes.

Find out more about how to save water in the kitchen at the EPA and the Water – Use It Wisely websites.

Organic produce refers to agricultural products grown and processed without synthetic chemicals, such as pesticides, fertilizers, growth hormones, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The production of Fossil fuel-based fertilizers and most synthetic pesticides are prohibited in organic farming and are energy intensive. Therefore organic farming has a significantly lower carbon footprint.

Organic farming practices promote ecological balance, conserve biodiversity, and enhance soil fertility through crop rotation, composting, and natural pest control. As organic standards and definitions vary, consult authoritative sources and local organic certification bodies for specific guidelines and regulations in your country or region.

Look for certifications like USDA Organic or other reputable labels that indicate sustainable production methods. Opt for organic, fair trade, and sustainably produced food whenever possible.

Here are some sources that can provide further information on organic produce:

European Commission Organic Farming provides information on organic farming practices, regulations, and certification in the European Union. Their website offers organic production methods, trade, and consumer information resources.

International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) is a global umbrella organization for the organic agriculture movement. Their website provides information on organic principles, standards, and certification worldwide.

Organic Trade Association (OTA) is a membership-based organization that promotes and protects the organic industry in the United States. Their website provides resources for consumers, farmers, and businesses interested in organic agriculture.

Soil Association is a leading organization promoting organic farming and food in the United Kingdom. Their website offers information on organic certification, standards, and research.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) is responsible for setting and enforcing organic standards in the United States. Their website offers detailed information on organic farming practices, certification requirements, and labeling regulations.

Here are some sources you can explore to understand the "fair trade" and "Fairtrade" certification system, including their principles, standards, and the positive impact on producers:

Fairtrade America is the organization responsible for promoting and certifying Fairtrade in the United States. Their website offers information about Fairtrade products and their impact.

Fairtrade Foundation provides comprehensive information about fair trade principles, certification, and its impact on farmers and workers.

Fairtrade International provides information about their certification system, standards, and the impact of Fairtrade on farmers and workers.

World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) is a global network of organizations dedicated to promoting fair trade. Their website offers resources, news, and information about fair trade practices.

Here are some sources that focus on connecting consumers with high-quality, sustainable food options:

Crowd Cow is an online marketplace that connects consumers with independent farmers to offer high-quality, sustainable meat and seafood options. They focus on transparency and traceability in the sourcing process.

FishFix offers a subscription-based service that directly delivers responsibly sourced, wild-caught seafood to your doorstep. They work with small-scale fishermen to provide traceable and sustainable seafood options.

FarmFoods partners with small, family-run farms to offer a wide range of sustainably raised meat products. They focus on providing organic, grass-fed, and pasture-raised options for consumers looking for high-quality meats.

LocalCatch is a community-supported fisheries network connecting consumers with local, sustainable seafood. They aim to support small-scale fishermen and promote transparency in the seafood supply chain.

MeatMe is an online platform that connects consumers with regenerative farms in Canada, offering a range of organic and grass-fed meat products. They prioritize animal welfare and environmental sustainability in their sourcing.

Wild Alaskan Company delivers sustainably sourced wild-caught seafood from Alaska to customers across the United States. They focus on providing high-quality fish and seafood options while supporting responsible fishing practices.

When dining out, you can select restaurants that have chosen to achieve certifications like Certified USDA Organic or Certified Green Restaurants or participate in initiatives such as Zero FoodPrint. These choices reflect their dedication to sourcing sustainable food, minimizing food packaging and waste, and reducing water usage, among other eco-friendly practices.

Certified USDA Organic restaurants have met strict organic standards established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). They prioritize using organic ingredients in their menus, which means the food they offer is sourced from farms and suppliers that avoid synthetic pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and chemical fertilizers.

Certified Green Restaurants are recognized for their commitment to eco-friendly practices, including energy conservation, waste reduction, and sustainable sourcing. This certification assures environmentally conscious dining for customers.

Zero FoodPrint is an initiative where restaurants measure and offset their carbon emissions through environmentally friendly projects. Dining at these restaurants supports a more sustainable food industry and helps reduce the environmental impact of dining out.

Explore organizations and platforms dedicated to addressing global food and agriculture challenges, reducing our carbon footprint, and promoting sustainable practices while staying current with the latest developments.

Food Tank is a research and advocacy nonprofit organization focused on finding sustainable solutions to global food and agriculture issues. They aim to address problems such as hunger, obesity, climate change, and unemployment through collaboration, information sharing, and promoting innovative practices.

World Resources Institute (WRI) aims to transform food production to address the challenges of feeding a growing global population while protecting nature and mitigating climate change. They conduct research, develop partnerships, and propose innovative solutions to increase food production sustainably, reduce environmental impact, measure and reduce food loss and waste, and promote plant-rich diets.

Foodprint provides the latest news and information on essential topics related to sustainable food choices, environmental impact, animal welfare, and community well-being.

ReFED is a nonprofit organization committed to combatting food waste through data-driven solutions, intending to achieve a 50% reduction by 2030 in the United States. They aim to prevent, rescue, and recycle food waste by providing research and insights to businesses and policymakers.