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    How to Store 31 Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Less Food Waste
    Food

    Photo credit: Photo credit: Anikona / iStock / Getty Images Plus

    It’s estimated that the average household wastes more than 30% of the food it obtains – a staggering statistic with both financial and environmental consequences. One hundred and forty million acres of land are needed to produce this lost or wasted food each year, which is about the size of New York and California combined.

    Storing foods properly to avoid spoilage can eliminate some of this waste, especially when paired with better shopping and meal-planning habits.

    Use this guide to keep common household fruits and vegetables fresh for longer and keep food out of the compost bin.

    The Basics

    There are three main things to consider when storing fresh fruits and vegetables: ethylene, airflow, and temperature.

    Ethylene gas is naturally released by some fruits and quickens the ripening (and decay) of nearby produce. Knowing the ethylene production and sensitivity of fresh fruits and vegetables is essential to running a waste-free kitchen, as is knowing the airflow-needs of produce.

    It’s also important to understand the temperature regions of your fridge. Generally, top shelves and doors are warmer, while lower areas and the back of the fridge are cooler. Drawers – like the crisper – are cool and retain humidity, and some even have a piece that can be adjusted to let moisture out or trap it in. Label these sections to more consciously store produce and prevent spoilage. 

    Apples

    To prevent apples from getting mealy, store them in the refrigerator. Keep other produce away from this high-ethylene-producing fruit to protect them from premature decay, or stow all the apples in a bag. If you’re really dedicated, wrap each apple in reusable beeswax paper to prevent one rotting fruit from spoiling the bunch.

    Avocados

    These fruits are notoriously finicky and require a well-trained hand to determine ripeness by the touch. 

    Store avocados in a cool area of the kitchen and, if you’re not quite ready to use them when they’ve fully ripened, transfer to the refrigerator. Refrain, however, from putting the fruit in the fridge too early; the cold can halt the ripening process, leaving you with a hard avocado that ends up in the compost.  

    Preventing cut avocados from browning will also cut down on food waste in the kitchen. Store halved avocados in a container with an onion, or rub the exposed flesh with lemon juice, which prevents the fruit from oxidizing and turning brown. 

    Bananas

    Bananas release high levels of ethylene gas, so it’s best to store them alone on the counter – preferably hanging from a banana hook where they aren’t putting pressure on one another. Once they’re ripe, bananas can be moved to the fridge for a couple of days until you’re ready to eat them, but don’t move the fruit before they’re ripe. Buying a bunch that’s still a little green is a good way to ensure that you’re not stuck with a bunch of overripe fruit too quickly. 

    Bell Peppers

    To prevent bell peppers from getting wrinkly and soft, keep them in the fridge, where they’ll last 1-2 weeks if separated from ethylene-gas-producing fruits. Peppers go bad quickly when too moist, so be sure to dry them off before storing, and don’t wash until you’re ready to use them.

    Berries

    Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries should be refrigerated in a sealed container with a little airflow, lined with towels to prevent buildup of moisture. Keep the lid slightly ajar, or use a container with holes in it. 

    Berries will spoil quickly when moist, so don’t wash before storing, although strawberries will last longer if rinsed in a vinegar-water solution and thoroughly dried before chilling. Keep strawberry caps on too until it’s time to eat the fruit. 

    Broccoli

    This winter vegetable can handle cold temperatures; keep whole heads of broccoli in the cool crisper drawer, wrapped in a damp towel to stay fresh. To prevent mold, never leave the florets in a reusable silicone bag or wash them before storing. Even when stored properly, broccoli generally doesn’t keep very long, so be sure to use within a few days of purchasing.

    Carrots and Celery

    Keep cut carrots and celery submerged in a jar of water, where they will last for 2 weeks and a month respectively.

    Whole carrots are pretty hardy and can last in the fridge on their own for a while; celery, however, likes to be wrapped in aluminum foil and stored in the refrigerator, but keeping it in plastic wrap will accelerate the process of decay.

    Cauliflower

    Although similar in appearance to broccoli, cauliflower doesn’t like much moisture and needs some air circulation to stay fresh. Keep the vegetable in a perforated bag with the head-side up so moisture doesn’t accumulate and cause rotting. Refraining from washing cauliflower before storing will also help prevent decay.

    Citrus

    There are different theories about storing citrus: some recommend more moisture, while others warn against it. 

    Generally, it’s advised to keep lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, and other citrus fruits at room temperature until they hit peak ripeness (about a week), at which point they should be put in the fridge. Alternatively, place them in the fridge right after purchasing until you’re ready to eat them, then move to the countertop. Most citruses aren’t ethylene-sensitive and can be stored with ethylene-producing things; lemons and limes, however, are sensitive, and should separated. 

    Evidence shows that citrus does like moisture, unlike many fruits. Some say that submerging lemons in water in the refrigerator will keep them fresh for weeks, as will storing them in a reusable silicone bag to keep humidity in. If you do keep citruses out of the refrigerator, take care not to pile the fruits on top of each other, which might lead to mold growth. 

    Corn

    The trick to storing corn is to keep it from drying out. Don’t expose the kernels, and don’t shuck it until you’re ready to eat it. Store the ears still in their husks in a reusable silicone bag in the crisper drawer until then. 

    Cucumbers

    The flavor of cucumbers is impacted by cold temperatures, and are thus best left on the counter. If you do want to extend their life by refrigerating, wrap them in a towel to keep dry and put in a reusable, cloth grocery bag for ventilation. Don’t wash the cucumbers before storing, and keep them towards the front of the fridge on a higher shelf to keep them from getting too cold.

    Eggplant

    Keep eggplants at room-temperature (not the refrigerator!) to maintain flavor and texture, although you’ll need to eat them within a few days. Ideally, choose a dark, dry, cool place with good circulation, but if you do leave eggplants on the counter, just keep them away from ethylene producers like bananas and tomatoes.

    If you need the vegetable to last longer, wrap it in a towel, place in a hard-sided container to prevent bruising, and store in a fridge drawer. The flavor and texture of the nightshade, however, might be affected.

    Grapes

    While more convenient for snacking, don’t rinse grapes before cooling in the fridge; keep them dry and they’ll last up to a week. Grapes get wrinkly when left out, but they’ll thrive in a cold part of the fridge, like the back of the crisper drawer with its high humidity. Store in a bowl, colander, or container with holes to facilitate proper airflow. 

    Green Onions & Scallions

    Green onions are not only easy to store, but easy to regrow at home.

    Place the onions with the root-side down in a jar of water and place on the windowsill, where they will continue growing. Chop off the green tops for cooking and place the bulbs back in the jar to get a second growth of greenery. The onions can also be stored this way in the fridge with their tops covered, or laid flat with the roots wrapped in a damp towel. 

    Herbs

    Not all herbs are created equal in storage; there are different methods for keeping soft- and hard-stemmed herbs fresh in the fridge.

    For soft-stemmed herbs like mint, basil, parsley, dill, tarragon, and cilantro, place the stems in a jar with a few inches of water and put in the fridge. Rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, chives, and other hard-stemmed herbs should be wrapped in a damp towel and stored in a sealed container in the crisper drawer. 

    Alternatively, if you find yourself with more herbs than you’ll be able to use before they begin to wilt, wash and dry the leaves, mix with olive oil, and store in the freezer in an ice cube tray. Pop out a cube and toss into a hot pan before sautéing vegetables or making a pasta sauce. 

    Kale

    There are a few competing theories about how to best store kale in the fridge, but generally, it’s recommended to wrap leaves in a towel to catch excess moisture and place the whole bunch in a reusable silicone bag. If you want to prep the leaves for use beforehand, remove the stems, wash, dry, and place in the bag with a towel. Some chefs advocate for wrapping kale in a damp towel to keep the leaves crisp, but they’ll need to be used sooner.

    Melons

    Always store melons out of the fridge when they’re whole and uncut; once sliced, cover or place in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

    Mushrooms

    With their high water content, mushrooms have a tendency to get slimy when exposed to too much moisture. Keep them in a paper bag in the refrigerator, adding a towel to catch some extra moisture if you won’t get to them for a few days, although it’s best to eat most mushrooms within a week to 10 days.

    Onions and Garlic

    Onions and garlic can be stored together, but should be kept away from moisture in a low-humidity environment. Both like good air circulation, so a basket or mesh or paper bag is preferable for storage. Onions especially like a cool, dark place, like a closet or basement storage room, where they can last for months. Garlic can be left on a kitchen counter in a breathable container, but shouldn’t be kept in the fridge, where it’ll lose some of its flavor. 

    Once cut, store onions in the fridge wrapped in beeswax wrap. 

    Peaches

    Like nectarines and apricots, peaches shouldn’t be kept in the fridge, which sucks their moisture, leaving you with a less-satisfying fruit. Keep them in a cool area of the kitchen, making sure they’re not stacked up on one another, which will lead to bruising. 

    Pears

    Pears are very similar to avocados and shouldn’t be put in the refrigerator until fully ripened, or they’ll stay hard. You can even use the same methods for preventing the oxidation of cut pears by rubbing a bit of lemon juice on the exposed areas. 

    Potatoes and sweet potatoes

    While potatoes should be stored similarly to onions, keep these two vegetables away from each other, for the gases emitted by onions will cause sprouting in the potatoes. Keep potatoes and yams in a dark, cool place, like a root (or wine) cellar, cabinet, closet, or drawer; the cold temperatures of a fridge will convert some of the potato’s starches to sugars, causing them to brown sooner and burn faster when fried. Leaving the potatoes in plastic bags also promotes spoilage, so keep them in a basket or other open container. 

    Salad Greens

    Wrap salad greens in a light, reusable dish towel or napkin to soak up water and keep leaves from getting soggy. To prevent excess moisture, don’t wash the greens until you’re ready to use them. If a whole head of lettuce is looking a little wilted, chop a bit off of the bottom and place in a shallow bowl of water to revive it. Alternatively, remove all of the leaves from the head, dry them, and store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

    To revive limp greens, submerge them in a bowl of very cold water before eating. 

    Stone Fruits

    Cherries and plums need to be kept as cold as possible. Store near the back of the refrigerator on a low shelf, or in the crisper drawer. 

    Summer Squash

    Summer squashes like zucchini are similar to cucumbers, but prefer the fridge to the countertop. These squashes are best kept in a reusable plastic bag in the crisper drawer, but try not to chill the vegetables at temperatures any lower than 50ºF, which might cause chilling injuries. 

    Tomatoes

    Whatever you do, keep tomatoes out of the refrigerator. 

    Store fresh tomatoes upside down in open, flat container at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. If they’re very ripe, move the fruit to the refrigerator until ready to use. The same method applies to grape and cherry tomatoes, which should be kept in bowl on the counter. 

    Tomatoes give off ethylene gas, so keep them away from other fruits and vegetables. 

    Tubers and Roots

    Carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips, ginger, and other roots and tubers are pretty easy to store. They don’t produce much ethylene and can be kept in the crisper drawer next to other vegetables. If they have greens (like carrots), chop those off before storing, as they pull moisture from the vegetable. 

    Some – like radishes – will regain their crunch if soaked in ice water before eating.

    Winter Squash

    Winter squashes – butternut, acorn, kabocha, delicata, spaghetti, hubbard, etc. – should be kept out of the refrigerator, and can last on the countertop for weeks or months. If you need only part of the squash for a recipe, peel and chop the squash and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

    Linnea graduated from Skidmore College in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in English and Environmental Studies, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. Along with her most recent position at Hunger Free America, she has interned with the Sierra Club in Washington, DC., Saratoga Living Magazine, and Philadelphia’s NPR Member Station, WHYY.

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    EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
    6 Must-See Environmental Films From 2021
    Popular

    Actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence walk along a train platform during filming of "Don't Look Up" at South Station in Boston, Massachusetts on Dec. 1, 2020. Photo credit: David L. Ryan / The Boston Globe via Getty Images

    A lot happened last year. Record temperatures rolled through the Pacific Northwest. Hawaii was hit by a blizzard. The streets of New York City flooded and wildfires raged in the Southwest. 

    These films from 2021 helped us understand the climate crisis as it unfolded before our eyes, and continue teaching us how to become better stewards of the planet in the coming years.

    Meat Me Halfway

    Why is it so hard to convince people to stop eating meat? Why are we so resistant to change, and what can we do about it?

    Brian Kateman, leader of the “reducetarian” movement, tackles these questions in Meat Me Halfway and shares his own journey to reduce his meat consumption. He offers up a vision for a more compassionate, sustainable, and healthier future of plant-based eating, while acknowledging that meat is emotional, and that the process of switching to a plant-based diet often goes beyond merely learning information and then making a change. Giving up animal products might mean giving up culturally and emotionally-important meals, which dissuades many from attempting to make any dietary changes at all. 

    So, what is the most practical path forward? How can we mindfully reduce our collective meat consumption while recognizing these complexities? 

    Through interviews with experts and individuals, Kateman advocates for a more realistic middle-ground for those who don’t want to upend their entire way of eating, offering an alternative to the all-or-nothing approach when it comes to eating animal products. 

    Don’t Look Up

    Written, produced, and directed by Adam McKay, this satirical science film features a star-studded cast – including Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, and Ariana Grande – and has been a hit on Netflix since its release in late December, setting a record for the most viewing hours in a single week on the streaming platform. The film tells the story of an astronomy graduate student (Jennifer Lawrence) and her professor (Leonardo DiCaprio) who discover a comet hurtling towards Earth and try to alert the public, only to be met with skepticism and laughter.

    Some critics call it heavy heavy-handed, but the film sends an important message about denial; the lack of urgency and concern expressed by the government and the media for the comet coming to wipe out all human life draws a clear parallel to our own society’s response to climate change. In a time where the science behind climate change and the ongoing pandemic are constantly dismissed, Don’t Look Up asks us to consider the absurdity of our lukewarm responses and disregard for the life-threatening phenomena we face. 

    They’re Trying to Kill Us

    In this film produced by Chris Paul and Billie Eilish, co-directors John Lewis and Keegan Kuhn (directors of Cowspiracy and What The Health) travel to areas of the United States – primarily Black and Indigenous communities – that are experiencing disproportionately high rates of chronic disease. Their work shows that disease in these areas is not a coincidence, but the result of systems that have been designed to keep marginalized groups in poor health. Interviews with doctors, politicians, researchers, cultural icons, activists, and athletes show how health, environmental justice, and racial justice are interconnected, and how the alcohol, drug, fast food, and cigarette industries profit off of poor health in communities of color.  

    The film also features prominent names in hip-hop music and artists who have an outsized impact on culture, and who speak about injustices like food access and food deserts, climate change, environmental justice, and the racial disparities of disease.

    They’re Trying to Kill Us can be rented on the film’s website. 

    River’s End: California’s Latest Water War

    Southern California is home to 19 million people: 1 out of every 2 Californians, and 1 out of every 16 Americans. River’s End, written and directed by Jacob Morrison, highlights California’s struggle to secure enough freshwater for its many inhabitants.  

    River’s End builds on the 1974 film Chinatown, which brought to light the disputes over water rights in the early 20th century in southern California, and the eventual draining of the Owens Valley by a 250 mile aqueduct built to satisfy the demand for water in Los Angeles. This feat of engineering enabled LA to become the second largest city in the U.S., but it came at a cost to the surrounding environment and the state’s future water supply. 

    The new film exposes the moneyed interests that manipulate this system – like industrial agriculture, for one – and asks, should the city of Los Angeles exist? What series of decisions brought us to this point? It foreshadows a dire future for California and the world at large if we don’t take action soon.

    Milked

    New Zealand is the biggest exporter of dairy in the world, but what was once a source of national pride is now their biggest threat. 

    In this new documentary, Chris Huriwa travels around his home country of New Zealand to expose the truth about its multi-billion dollar dairy industry. Through research, investigation, and interviews with big names in the environmental movement like Jane Goodall and Cowspiracy co-director Keegan Kuhn, Huriwa reveals how the industry has “milked” animals along with consumers, the natural environment, our climate, and the farmers caught in this exploitive system. The film is directed by Amy Taylor, who explained in an interview with Green Matters that she deliberately chose not to include the graphic, bloody imagery normally associated with such documentaries so as not to turn off potential viewers. 

    Milked premiered at the New Zealand Film Festival in November, and will be released internationally some time in 2022. 

    Burning

    Burning is a documentary about Australia’s 2019-20 “black summer,” which brought the most devastating fire in the continent’s history, ravaging 59 million acres, destroying nearly 6,000 buildings, and driving more than 500 species to endangerment or extinction.   

    Directed by the Academy and Emmy-award winning filmmaker Eva Orner, the film explains how this fire could happen in Australia – the world’s largest exporter of coal – and how the lack of political will to take action on climate change will impact the country’s future. 

    Burning won the Sydney Film Festival Sustainable Future Award last year, and is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

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    7 Easy Ways to Cut Down on Meat in Your Diet
    Health + Wellness

    Eva-Katalin / E+ / Getty Images

    It’s common knowledge that meat has an outsized impact on the environment, but a new study finds that the consequences are even more dire than previously thought. The study, published by Nature Research in 2021, determined that meat is responsible for nearly 60% of all food-production-related greenhouse gas emissions, which is 2x more than plant-based foods. In terms of total global emissions, 14% come from livestock alone, and beef is the main culprit. To put it into perspective, 2.5kg of greenhouse gases are emitted to produce 1kg of wheat, while 70kg are emitted to produce a single kilo of beef.

    Meat consumption is directly linked to human-caused climate change and the extreme weather and temperature events of recent years. It also has a proven impact on water and air pollution, deforestation, and global loss of biodiversity. To prevent catastrophic warming, scientists warn that drastic changes must be made regarding our food choices, and soon; to meet global emissions goals for 2050, the World Resource Institute recommends that all wealthy nations cut their consumption of dairy, beef, and lamb by 40%.

    We wield great power with our food choices, and small changes to our diet can make a big difference. Corporations are responsible for the vast majority of global greenhouse gas emissions, but individual choice is still an important tool for combatting climate change and environmental degradation, including what we put on our plates.

    Plant-based alternatives have rapidly gained popularity in the last 15 years; in 2020, Ipsos Retail Performance conducted a study of retail traffic data that concluded that 9.7 million Americans are now following plant-based diets, which is an increase of 9.4 million since 2004. With the new, plentiful options for plant-based food available to consumers, many are ready to consider replacing meat in their diet. While vegetarian and vegan diets aren’t automatically healthy, eating less meat is associated with lower risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and even some cancers, which has also encouraged many to go plant-based.

    Going fully vegetarian or vegan is a great goal, but you don’t need to cut out meat entirely to make a difference with your dietary choices. The flexitarian diet – a term coined in the early 2000s – focuses on eating fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and other plant-based items, but gives individuals the leeway to still enjoy meat on occasion without making it a part of their daily routine. A flexible plant-based diet like this opens up the possibility of eating less meat without a full commitment to vegetarianism or veganism.

    Whether you’re strictly plant-based, a flexitarian, or just beginning to explore meatless eating, here are a few easy tactics for cutting down on meat in your meals.

    Treat Meat as a Side Dish, Not the Main Course

    You can still enjoy animal products while also minimizing how much of your plate they take up.

    Protein is an important part of a healthy diet, but evidence suggests that we eat much more than is necessary. It is recommended that women and men consume 46 and 56 grams of protein a day respectively, but American men consume an average of about 100 grams per day, leaving plenty of room to reduce meat in the average diet.

    The American Cancer Society recommends eating only 3-4oz of meat per meal, which is about the size of a bar of soap or deck of cards. Instead of allowing meat to take up the majority of your plate, let whole grains and vegetables take up more space. Alternatively, substitute some of the meat for a plant-based alternative; for example, in a homemade mushroom Bolognese, substitute half of the ground meat for mushrooms.

    It is important to note that protein can be derived from many foods besides meat. Tofu, nuts, seeds, pulses – edible seeds that grow in pods, including all beans and peas like chickpeas, lentils, garden peas, black beans, etc. – and vegetables are great sources of protein.

    Replace Meat-Based Stock with Veggie (and How to Make Your Own)

    Lots of soups and cold-weather comfort meals call for stock. As we head into the winter season, swapping out chicken or other meat-based stock is a simple way to make your favorite meals vegetarian without sacrificing flavor. Vegetable broth cubes and stock are available at the grocery store alongside their meat counterparts, and are typically of comparable price.

    If you make your own stock, try making it with vegetables instead. Wash the dirt from a few onions, carrots, and celery sticks; remove skins and carrot tops and coarsely chop all the vegetables. Put the veggies into a large pot of water (filling so there are a few inches of water on top) with some thyme, peppercorns, parsley, and a bay leaf, or whatever other herbs you like. Simmer for an hour or so, stirring now and then until the water is infused with the vegetable flavor. Remove all the veggies with a slotted spoon, then pass the mixture through a piece of cheesecloth to remove all particles. The stock can be stored in the refrigerator for one week, or in the freezer for up to three months.

    For an even more environmentally-friendly stock, use vegetable scraps to infuse the water instead of tossing them in the trash. Store scraps in bag or Tupperware container in the freezer, adding to it whenever you have skins, stalks, or vegetables about to go bad. Follow the same recipe, swapping out the fresh vegetables. Avoid certain vegetables if you can; starchy vegetables like potatoes and turnips make the stock a little cloudy, green beans and zucchini become bitter when boiled, and beets overpower the other flavors. Make sure all scraps are washed thoroughly to prevent a muddy stock.

    Recreate Your Favorite Meals With Meat Substitutes

    The thought of giving up a chicken dish your mom made, or a traditional meal important to your family or culture, might be too much to accept. Satisfy cravings for your favorite meals by using meat substitutes, which can often taste very similar (or, give a new twist) to the original. Tempeh, seitan, and tofu can be good replacements for meat in stir fry, and unripe jackfruit has a similar texture and appearance as shredded chicken or pulled pork. Proper seasoning can make these food products quite similar to the real thing, and the internet is ripe with recipes and tricks for preparing them.

    Lots of products are created to mimic specific meat items as well. Gardein is known for their “chick’n” products, and Morning Star burgers, breakfast sausages, bacon, and chicken nuggets are popular (and affordable) meat substitutes to keep on hand in the freezer. The Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods brands has become very popular, especially for their packaged ground “meat” that can be used in place of ground beef. You’ve probably heard of the Impossible Whopper at Burger King – released in 2019 – so you can still have your favorite fast-food sandwich on the go. Other fast-food chains are following suit, like Panda Express, which has begun rolling out their new Beyond Meat Orange Chicken. Many grocery stores – like Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, and Whole Foods – have their own lines of meatless products, which are usually more affordable than Beyond or Impossible products.

    Kitchn has a great flow chart to help new plant-based eaters decide where to start with plant-based meat substitutes.

    Get Creative (and Flavorful) with Tofu

    Tofu is a popular soy-based meat alternative that originated in China 2,000 years ago, and is also important to traditional cuisine in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other countries in East and Southeast Asia. Its mild flavor makes it an optimal blank canvas to use for your meals in place of meat and is an easy way to get protein into your meals. Crumble it up for a tofu scramble or meat stand-in for tacos, marinate before grilling, fry with spices and oil as an addition to meals and sandwiches, or blend in a sauce. It’s also relatively inexpensive, unlike some meat substitutes.

    Here are a few recipes to get you started:

    If you’re feeling especially adventurous, you can make your own tofu and avoid the plastic packaging, and get exactly the right firmness for your needs.

    Plan Meals Ahead of Time

    If meat is a substantial component of your current cooking routine, meal planning can prevent falling back into those easy, meat-heavy meals or fast food. Some vegetarian and vegan recipes also require more ingredients to manipulate flavor, so plan ahead for what you’ll need, including spices.

    Eating more vegetables might also open the opportunity for food waste. Thirty to 40% of the food supply in the U.S. is wasted, and without planning meals ahead of time, fresh produce might get left to rot in the fridge. Create a list of what fresh food items you need, and plan to make those dishes before the ingredients go bad.

    Planning filling, flavorful, and satisfying meals will encourage you to continue your plant-based-eating journey; if you don’t make meals you actually enjoy, you’re much more likely to give up on it. Before a busy week, make large amounts of a meal and pack in Tupperware for the week or freeze for later. Having frozen fruits and vegetables on hand is also helpful, and you can buy and freeze your own, which is much cheaper than buying them pre-frozen.

    High-Protein Grains

    Beans and nuts are more well-known plant-based protein sources, but some grains also pack a major protein punch. One-hundred grams of cooked quinoa has about 4.5g of protein, buckwheat about 5g, and oats nearly 10g. Many of these – including less-popular high-protein grains like spelt, amaranth, sorghum, and teff – can be used to make flour as well.

    For an easy protein swap in your favorite pasta dishes, replace white with protein-rich, whole grain pasta, which will keep you full for much longer. Grain bowls with roasted vegetables and dressing or hummus can also deliver meat-free protein to your diet.

    Start with a Meatless Monday, or Two Meals a Day

    Many schools and organizations have begun their own “meatless Monday” initiatives, encouraging individuals to eat vegetarian for one day of the week. Choose one day of the week that works best with your schedule to eat meatless. While you’re still learning the tricks of cooking vegetarian, choose a day where you’ll have more time during the day to cook. This small change can be quite significant; if you ate one less serving of beef per week, that alone would prevent the emissions equivalent to 348 miles of driving.

    In his recent book, We Are The Weather, Jonathan Safran Foer advocates for taking the flexitarian diet even further, and urges readers to eat two plant-based meals per day. He argues that dinner usually includes culturally-important foods, but going vegan/vegetarian for lunch and dinner will still drastically reduce the amount of animal products we consume. If full vegetarianism or veganism doesn’t work for you, perhaps this method can fit into your routine.

    Linnea graduated from Skidmore College in 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in English and Environmental Studies, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. Along with her most recent position at Hunger Free America, she has interned with the Sierra Club in Washington, DC., Saratoga Living Magazine, and Philadelphia's NPR Member Station, WHYY.

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