top of page

Scrappy Cooking: The Solution to Household Food Waste

Written by Tanvi Mishra

Edited by Emil Koch & Mehak Bhatia


Food wastage is a global issue that has serious environmental, economic, and social consequences. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), we waste approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food globally per year, which is roughly a third of all the food produced for human consumption. "Scrappy Cooking" can be a great solution for this as it promotes using leftover ingredients to help in reducing food waste.


What is “Scrappy Cooking”?

Scrappy cooking promotes using leftover ingredients to help in reducing food waste. Household food waste accounts for a significant proportion of total food waste, especially in developed countries such as America. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated that between 30-40% of the food supply is wasted just at the consumer level! Scrappy cooking encourages the creative and resourceful use of leftover ingredients to prevent households from wasting food.


What are the benefits of Scrappy Cooking?

Firstly, there are plenty of environmental benefits of scrappy cooking such as cutting down on food waste, reducing greenhouse gas production from rotting food in landfills, and reducing the agricultural burden on farmers to grow enormous amounts of food. Scrappy cooking aligns with the broader movements of sustainable and circular food systems, emphasizing the importance of reducing waste throughout the food supply chain. Circular food systems, as the name suggests, prioritize the reusing of what would have been waste products as inputs.


circular food system
A circular food system

In addition to this, scrappy cooking is great for the wallet! According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the average American family throws away 25% of the food and beverages they purchase. This amounts to around $1,800 worth of food annually. This is a HUGE number that is almost worth 2 months of an American minimum-wage worker’s salary.

Embracing scrappy cooking can also enhance culinary skills and promote a more sustainable food culture. It encourages improvisation, experimentation, and the development of versatile cooking techniques.


Let us look at some examples of Scrappy Cooking!

Vegetable Scrap Broth: Instead of discarding vegetable scraps like carrot peels, onion skins, and celery ends, collect them in a freezer bag. Once you have enough scraps, simmer these in water with herbs and spices to create a flavorful homemade vegetable broth. This broth can be added to soups, pasta, and even dumplings or tacos.



Vegetable Scrap Broth
Vegetable Scrap Broth

Croutons: Instead of throwing away stale bread, cut it into cubes, toss it into a mixture of olive oil, salt, and herbs, and bake in the oven until crispy. These homemade croutons can be used to top salads or soups, adding texture and flavor. Just make sure that the bread isn't moldy!

Banana Bread/Muffins: Overripe bananas are perfect for making delicious banana bread or muffins. Mash the bananas, then incorporate them into a batter with flour, sugar, eggs, and other ingredients you have on hand. Bake until golden brown and enjoy a tasty treat!


Banana Muffins
Banana Muffins

Veggie Stir-Fry made from leftovers: Use up leftover vegetables from previous meals by stir-frying them with oil, garlic, and soy sauce. Toss in your choice of protein and serve over rice or noodles for a quick and tasty meal.


Omelette: Make an omelet by incorporating any leftover vegetables, cheese, and any other ingredients you have lying around in your fridge with your eggs. Beat the eggs, add the leftovers, and cook until set. It's a versatile and satisfying dish that helps reduce food waste.


Pineapple Skin Tea: Wash your pineapple skin thoroughly and boil it with ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, maple syrup, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and strain the remaining liquid. Serve this delicious drink hot or cold.



Pineapple Skin Tea
Pineapple Skin Tea

These are just a handful of examples of how scrappy cooking can be practiced at home. There are hundreds of other recipes out there that can be explored via a simple web search.


Why should YOU take part in Scrappy Cooking?

The statistics on household food wastage emphasize how urgent it is to address this issue and take action to fix it. Scrappy cooking presents an easy at-home solution that requires very little energy to incorporate into our lives. Embracing this approach to cooking can expand your culinary repertoire, save the environment and make you a few thousand dollars richer. It is never too late to start. All you have to do is walk into your kitchen, pick up some leftovers, and start cooking!


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

[1] https://www.fao.org/3/mb060e/mb060e00.htm , 14/6/23, 23:00, AEST


Figures:





ความคิดเห็น

bottom of page