Did you know that there is enough food to feed everyone on the planet, but 1 out of 9 people go to bed hungry?
Did you know that 1/3 of all the food the world produces, GOES TO WASTE! Not joking!
Just this morning my oldest son Dillon (
12), wanted Trader Joe’s Almond Vanilla Granola for breakfast. Great! Oats, almonds, somewhat healthy compared to other things. But then there was so little left in the box that it wasn’t enough for a whole bowl, so he had a different kind. It killed me, but just to get the dishes done, I threw it in the trash….ouch! I hated doing it because I HATE food waste, but I did it anyway…shame face….
I HATE throwing away perfectly good food! Even the little bit of rice or the 1/2 an ounce of chicken left on a plate after someone has eaten the rest….I HATE it! I know, it’s unsanitary to keep leftover food from plates, and I don’t usually, but every time I throw that bit of broccoli or mashed potatoes down the disposal, I have this pause….
…a little nagging voice saying “What a Waste!”.
Little Picky Eaters make that voice so loud! There is so much food waste as you try to get your kiddos to eat healthy and they just won’t eat it! Does anyone else experience that little voice?
BUT, good news….
Just this month (October 2019), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) launched #StopTheWaste, a global movement to help fight food waste. How awesome!
So what can we mommas (and daddies), do to help even just a little bit, starting at home? We have an idea….
It started this morning when I came across am Instagram post this morning from someone I just found called #wholefoodbellies out of Australia. It is a great Instagram page and she gives all kinds of healthy food ideas for kids. Today there is a post about making kiddo snacks from that half used container of ricotta in the back of the fridge, you know, the one you used to make that amazing lasagna last week, the one you make once a year, and never use ricotta other than that!! (Um, my true story). Anyway, here’s the link to that story and the recipe, check it out. https://www.instagram.com/p/B3LOBviFrIx/?igshid=1tr9fxcsvqom1
So in an effort to combat food waste, Sizzle Kidz is starting a project called
“EAT ALL THE FOOD!“
(there is some double meaning there…get it….ya know you’ve said it to your kids…”I don’t like it (whine)”….”eat it anyway (irritated)”….You get the picture!!!
I thought it would be useful and fun for us to gather recipes and ideas for repurposing that HALF-USED STUFF in the fridge and pantry. Tell us how you use those half-full paper cans of bread crumbs and that little bit of sour cream before it spoils.
We will post them here and collect them all into a cute and FREE little book and send it out to all of you to download.
We hope you join us on this project and we will keep you posted with some of the cool ideas we hear! Also, snap a photo of something you made using leftovers and post it to #SizzleKidz and #StopTheWaste.
Thanks!!
P.S. This kid’s book is all about this subject, and it’s a true story. The book goes through the chain of people and small decisions that resulted in a HUGE important benefit to humanity! Check it out.
Tells the story of Norman Borlaug, who grows up to use his knowledge of agriculture to save 2 billion people.
What do you think?