Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies

Your recipe for saving the planet (and some money too!)

If you’re like many of us, you waste your fair share of food. And you may think that food waste is an inevitable part of modern life. But in Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies, you’ll learn a little about sustainability in agriculture and where your food comes from, and how to organize your kitchen for less waste. With food waste in mind, you’ll also learn how to meal plan and shop within your budget.And ultimately, you’ll learn how to use every last bit of what’s in your fridge, freezer, and cupboard to make delicious meals, save money, and do your part for the environment.

In this book, celebrated dietitian and internationally recognized author Rosanne Rust walks you through every step of transforming how you plan your meals, shop for groceries, store your food, cook your food, and deal with leftovers. Whether you’re more experiences or the type of cook who can burn water, you’ll find tips and strategies that help you buy, use, and waste less food.

Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies offers:

• Dozens of recipes for delicious entrees, appetizers, breakfasts, soups, salads, and more
• Meal planning ideas that make grocery shopping a breeze, save you real money, and help you make the most of what you have in your kitchen
• Tips and tricks for how to use leftovers, how to craft new dishes with leftover ingredients so you don’t need to throw anything away, and more

This book is a must-read for any homemaker, home cook or anyone looking for ways to save a little money, reduce their carbon footprint, and make some awesome, nutritious meals.

Rosanne Rust is an internationally recognized nutrition expert, registered dietitian, and author with a passion for balanced eating and reducing waste. Grounded in science, she has focused on helping people set realistic health and dietary goals over her 30-year career. She provides freelance nutrition communications work in the food and agriculture spaces and blogs at Chew the Facts.^® Find her on social media @chewthefacts or www.rustnutrition.com.

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 3

Icons Used in This Book 3

Beyond the Book 4

Where to Go from Here 4

Part 1: Adopting A Food Waste Strategy 7

Chapter 1: Doing Your Best to Waste Less 9

What Is Zero Waste Cooking? 10

Using food and ingredients wisely 10

Shopping for what you need and storing it properly 10

Making the most of scraps and leftovers 11

Adopting a Zero Waste Mindset 12

Benefiting from a Zero Waste Approach 13

Saving green while going green 14

Enjoying better nutrition and health 14

Helping the planet 17

Getting Started: How to Waste Less Food Today 19

Chapter 2: A Side of Sustainability: Putting Food and the Environment into Context 21

Boiling It Down: Defining Sustainability 22

Sustainability in Agriculture: Economic, Environmental, and Social Concerns 23

Meeting your needs and the needs of your grandchildren 23

Using natural resources efficiently 24

Feeding the world 24

Considering Conservation along the Food Supply Chain 25

Ecological management of pests 26

Pasture management, cover crops, soil conservation, and quality 27

More food with fewer resources 27

Upcycling 27

Concerning the Environmental Impact of Food Waste 28

From Farm to Fork: Understanding Where Your Food Comes From 31

Organic farming is superior 32

Technology and agriculture don’t mix 33

Eating less meat is better for the planet 34

Bringing It Home: Deciphering Package Icons and Labels 36

USDA Certified Organic 36

Free-from labeling 37

So-called plant-based products 39

Carbon footprint labels 40

Chapter 3: Getting Your Head in the Zero Waste Game 41

Doing Your Homework: Analyzing Your Food Waste Habits 42

Keeping the Environment and Your Wallet in Mind 43

When shopping: Will I use this? 43

When storing: What’s the best way to preserve my food? 45

When cooking: How can I better use scraps and leftovers? 46

Repeat after Me: Practice, not Perfection 47

Part 2: Waste Not, Want Not In Your Kitchen 49

Chapter 4: Setting Up Your Kitchen for Zero Waste Success 51

Taking Inventory of the Food in Your Kitchen 52

Finding out what’s in your fridge and freezer 53

Unpacking your pantry 53

Cruising your countertop 54

Cracking the Code: Deciphering What Product Dates Really Mean 55

Giving Back to the Earth: Creating a Composting Strategy 58

Chapter 5: Storage Strategies to Help Reduce Your Personal Food Waste 61

Making Smart Decisions for Your Pantry Storage 62

Choosing less packaging 62

Repurposing containers 63

Ditching plastic bags for reusable options 64

Keeping it airtight 65

Using reusable food coverings 66

Considering shelf life: The first in, first out system 66

Using Your Fridge and Freezer Efficiently 67

Cool rules for you and your appliance 68

Optimizing your fridge’s storage zones 69

Knowing what freezes well 71

Buy Less, Store It Right, and Use It All 75

Making the most of what you buy and cook 75

Storing the trimmings 75

Chapter 6: Managing Your Zero Waste Grocery Budget and Staying Healthy 77

Meal Planning Made Easy 78

Consulting your calendar: Determining when and what to eat at home 78

Considering the ingredients already in your kitchen 79

Making a solid grocery list and sticking to it 79

Aligning Zero Waste with Budget-Conscious Buying 82

Making smarter bulk buys 83

Deciding where to shop 84

Shopping the specials and BOGOs 85

Enjoying canned and frozen produce 85

Versatile Foods to Keep You Healthy 86

Making the most of legumes 86

Getting the most out of grains 89

Picking produce 93

Making smart meat and dairy selections 95

Using dairy to enhance meals 99

Chapter 7: Sample Meal Plans: Zero Waste Ideas in Action 103

Touching on Zero Waste Meal Plan Basics 104

Using one ingredient in multiple recipes 104

Prepping and cooking extra servings 104

Getting creative with leftovers 105

Sample Meal Plans: Ready-Made with Flexibility 106

Week 1 sample meal plan 107

Week 2 sample meal plan 108

Week 3 sample meal plan 109

Week 4 sample meal plan 111

Part 3: Zero Waste Recipes 113

Chapter 8: Guest-Pleasing Starters 115

Sharing Small Plates to Make a Meal 115

Chapter 9: Anytime Egg Dishes for All 131

How to Tell Your Quiche from Your Frittata 132

Easing into Egg Recipes with an Omelet 133

Chapter 10: Leveraging Leftovers for Nutritious Soups and Salads 143

Putting Stock in the Benefits of Homemade Stock 144

Chapter 11: Wasting No Time or Money on Dressings, Sauces, and Toppings 159

Flavorize and Tenderize 160

Chapter 12: Simple Sides for Busy Times 171

Getting Creative Sides to the Table 172

Chapter 13: Barnyard, Seaside, and Vegetarian Main Dishes 185

Prepping and Carving a Whole Chicken 186

Making Bread Crumbs 188

Chapter 14: Oh, the Pasta-bilities! 211

Pasta Basics 212

Name that pasta shape 212

Pasta cooking instructions 213

Chapter 15: Creating Delicious Handhelds with What You Have on Hand 229

Keeping It Fresh: Working with More than Just Sliced Bread 230

Enjoying Handhelds for Breakfast 231

Chapter 16: Anytime Sweets and Savory Snacks 241

Zero Waste Add-ins and Swaps 242

Chapter 17: Crafting Mocktails, Smoothies, and Cocktails 253

Setting up Your Bar and the Pour 254

Part 4: The Part of Tens 269

Chapter 18: Ten Uses for Leftover Eggs, Ripening Produce, and Scraps 271

Feed Crushed Egg Shells to Your Plants 271

Freeze Egg Whites 272

Add Any Extra Egg Yolks 272

Seal and Gloss with an Egg Wash 273

Mix in Finely Chopped Veggie Scraps 274

Roast or Sauté to Stretch Wilting Veggies 275

Use Veggie Scraps to Create New Soups 275

Dry Leftover Herbs, Veggies, or Fruit 276

Turn Droopy Fruits and Veggies into Slaw or Chutney 277

Dye Eggs with Leftover Onion Skins 278

Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Use Stale Bread 279

Fresh Bread Crumbs 280

French Toast 281

Crostini for Appetizers 282

Pappa al Pomodoro 282

Bread Pudding 283

Croutons for French Onion Soup 283

Stuffing or Southern Dressing 284

Roasted Tomatoes with Bread and Cheese 285

Panzanella 285

When All Else Fails 286

Chapter 20: Ten Ways to Use Up Dairy Before It Spoils 287

Replacing Buttermilk 288

Making Oatmeal 288

Thickening Stews and Sauces 289

Baking 289

Breading Foods 289

Making a Soft Cheese 289

Tenderizing Raw Chicken and Other Meats 290

Yogurt Helps Ensure Crispy, Moist Chicken or Fish 290

Beyond Cooking: Milk Baths and Facials 291

Feed Me, Seymour: Fertilizing Plant 291

Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Reduce Waste from Restaurant Meals 293

Order Wisely 294

Box Up Leftovers Big and Small 294

Actually Eat What Food You Bring Home 295

Combine Leftovers to Create a New Meal 295

Turn Extra Takeout into a One-Bowl Wonder 295

Fill Omelets with Leftover Meats or Veggies 296

Add Pasta to Leftover Restaurant Sauces 296

Stuff a Baked Potato with Doggie Bag Goodies 297

Make Takeout Leftovers into Tasty Nacho Toppings 298

Level Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Yummy Bits of Leftovers 298

Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide 301

Index 305

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.