Food: How to Save It & Where to Find It


Food: How To Save It & Where To Find It

By: Bria Brown



How to Save It:

While processed and refined foods will last longer on the shelf, they aren't the healthiest alternative for a well-balanced diet. Produce is an essential part of what we eat, but there is quite a few drawbacks and hurdles consumers must overcome. Fruits and vegetables are not only more expensive, but they are also less sought after when scarcity takes place because of rapid spoiling that can occur.

Did you know 1/3 of all food is wasted and spoiled?1

Did you know decaying food is the 2nd most common greenhouse gas?2

It's true! By changing a few of our food habits, we can fight climate change and food scarcity both in Portland and globally.


1. Plan Your Meals

-Sit down and write your meals out for one week. This gets you excited about your week without over buying. Going to the store every week ensures vegetables and fruit don't go to waste from spoiling. Not only will you be excited to shop for your week, but you'll save money too!


2. Where to Store Food

-Certain foods spoil when stored close together due to the gases they emit. Avoid storing bananas, apples, and tomatoes near each other or other fruits and vegetables. Store potatoes, garlic, cucumbers, and onions at room temperature in a cool, dark cabinet.  


3. How to Store Food

The freezer is your friend, I repeat, the freezer is your friend! 

-Store bread, vegetables, and fruit in the freezer to save space in your fridge, avoid spoiling, and ensure an array of foods available for tasty recipes. 

-Use clear containers both in the fridge and the freezer so no yummy meals or ingredients go missing when it comes time to refuel your body. Smaller containers can make snacking and on-the-go eating easier as well! 

*Bonus* add a piece of tape to the lid and write the expiration date. Organize by date and make sure to grab from the soonest-to-spoil items!


4. Wait to Wash

-Wait to wash your fruits and vegetables until you are ready to eat or cook them. When produce is washed before storing, the water content prompts mold to form more quickly and foods will spoil faster. 


5. Extra Fun with Food

-With leftover fruits and vegetables, you can make delicious smoothies chocked full of essential vitamins or "brain food".  

-Fruit peels can also be used in water to encourage more fluid intake with delicious flavors and vitamins. 


6. Compost or Donate

A lot of Portlanders recycle their compost or compost leftover scraps to fertilize their gardens. 

Find more information on recycling compost in Portland:


 and making the most out of your scraps in your garden here: 


More national food preservation information here: 

Above is 6 Food Saving Tips to lower food waste and stretch your produce's life span. By using these tips, you will not only keep food fresh longer, but also lower greenhouse gases, and boost your body's immune system. Now that you know how to preserve your produce longer, lets talk about where to find it!


Where to Find It: 

Fellow Portland State University students, we have a plethora of resources available to help us succeed on campus. Did you know those resources also involve free food?

PSU students, faculty, alumni and locals can and do volunteer time and donate food items to lower food insecurity in the area.
For more information on how to volunteer:
https://www.pdx.edu/student-access-center/volunteer-opportunities

Food scarcity is when resources are distributed unevenly in a country, state, or even city and some go without the necessary food to survive and succeed. PSU works to lower food scarcity experienced by its students by offering free food through a few different avenues.

Students in need of food assistance, please visit the link below to find PSU's Free Food Market, Student Pantry, and other helpful resources.
https://www.pdx.edu/student-access-center/food-assistance


photo credit: Refrigeration Club


1- http://www.fao.org/save-food/resources/keyfindings/en/
2-https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases




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