What is Food Waste?

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Food Waste is the left over food that gets thrown out at the end of the day. When making anything, there is always some kind of waste. Everything from egg shells, to soiled produce, to burnt cookies are considered food waste. Jules Baking is striving to reduce the amount of food waste produced while making orders.

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How Are We Reducing Food Waste?

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Jules baking is working to actively reduce the amount of food waste made during production. Ingredients are purchased in bulk only when they are shelf stable. Perishable items are purchased only in the amount needed. Each ingredient used has a second or third use as well. When making apple pie, for example, peels and cores are boiled to make apple cider. Peels are then baked into apple chips. Strawberries that become too ripe for eating are made into jams for future orders. When using egg whites, the yolks are used to make a custard. 

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While these steps seem small at the moment, as Jules Baking grows, so will our sustainability. Not only does keeping food waste down help the environment, but it also helps the customer. Using and reusing ingredients help to keep food cost down and in turn allows for prices to be lower than they would be without our Zero Food-Waste Initiative.

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What Can You Do?

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There are many ways to reduce food waste in your household. The easiest thing to do is not buy more than you will eat. Spoilage is very common in households and we are all guilty of it. Try your hardest to cook with what you have. If you have vegetables going bad, cook them in a soup and freeze it for up to 3 months. Bruised or overripe fruits are perfect for jams, jellies, and fruit fillings. Boil the fruit with some sugar, throw it in a mason jar, seal it and keep it for up to 6 months. Think of all the PB&J you eat in a year. Now think of all the strawberries you throw out in a year. If you have a few strawberries that are overripe, Cut off the leaves, throw them in a container and freeze them. When you have enough to make a batch of jam (and time), boil them up and you have yourself some fresh made jam. It is healthier, more delicious, and saves you money! Composting is also another effective food waste solution. Composting creates a more rich soil for gardening while reducing landfill waste and soil erosion 

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Why Does it Matter? 

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Food waste causes an increase in pollution. A decomposing fruit in a landfill releases methane gas which is 23 times more dangerous than carbon dioxide.

 

There is also a moral dilemma surrounding food waste. There are approximately 40 million Americans that face hunger every day and somewhere between 30 and 40 percent of Americas food supply is wasted.

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