The holiday season is full of opportunities to give food, clothing, toys, and time to people in need.  And thank goodness, because when unemployment runs high and resources run low – like is happening now – there is certainly a lot of need to be met.

When it comes to food donations, it’s important to give healthy, high quality non-perishables, rather than cheap processed foods that don’t meet the nutritional needs of most families.  Here’s a list of some of the best foods you can give during your local holiday food drive.

1.  Canned fish and lean meats.  Canned salmon, tuna, and chicken are high in protein and provide a great base for healthy meals.

2.  Peanut butter / other nut butters.  These – or packaged low-sodium nuts – are great sources of protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fat.  They’re an especially helpful donation because they’re usually too expensive for food banks to purchase in sufficient quantities.

3.  Healthy soups and stews.  Look for low sodium, organic, and natural brands of canned soup or stew.  These provide needed nutrients and a way for families with limited resources to sit down to a healthy family meal.

4.  Whole grain breakfast cereals.  Here are some cereal guidelines, so you can make sure you’re donating whole grain, high fiber, low sugar cereals.  Hot cereals – like oatmeal, oat bran, muesli, etc – are also great choices.  Think about what you’d want your own kids to eat for breakfast, and buy that.

5.  Canned or dried beans.  These are another great source of protein and fiber, and can be used in a wide variety of meals.

6.  Pasta sauce and canned tomatoes.  Other canned veggies are OK too, but not always tasty.  Marinara sauce and canned tomatoes can be combined with a package of dry pasta and/or canned meat & frozen veggie for a quick, healthy, inexpensive meal.

7.  Shelf-stable milk.  Powdered milk (dry), boxed milk, or even canned evaporated skim milk provide much-needed calcium and protein, and replace other less-healthy beverage choices.

More than anything, it’s important to donate what you would like to eat or serve your family.  People who need help from food banks appreciate good food too!

How many times have you headed to the store with a meal in mind, made the meal, then watched the remaining ingredients waste away in your fridge during the week that follows?  Probably more than once.  And you’re not the only one.

One of the best ways to prevent food waste while simultaneously saving money, time, and effort, is to take frequent inventory of your fridge, freezer, and pantry.  Much of the time, there’s no need to buy more stuff just to make a meal.  Some of the tastiest dishes are born from “shopping” in your own kitchen.  (I saw someone on Twitter say “shop your own kitchen first” and thought it was such a great way to phrase it).

Next time you’re tempted to grocery shop, do a thorough exploration of your pantry first.  See if a trip to the store is even necessary, or if you can make some magic with what you already have!  Once you find your ingredients, here are some ideas for what to do next:

A Meal Made from “Nothing”

Pantry Staples

What’s in My Fridge?

Mastering Quick and Easy Meals

The meal pictured above is a leftover shrimp dish (from a restaurant) mixed with noodles and chopped fresh tomatoes.  In a matter of minutes it became a whole new meal!

Most of us can follow a recipe, but doing so takes time, effort, and planning.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t usually have time to shop for specific ingredients and cook a specific dish.  Dinner at my house normally involves opening up the fridge at about 6pm and putting together a meal using food we already have.  These meals aren’t necessarily the most gourmet, but they’re always tasty, healthy, and much cheaper than eating out.

A few weeks ago I shared my formula for making quick meals without a recipe.  Following this formula makes the process of “whipping something up” much easier, as does grocery shopping regularly so that you always have at least a little food in the house.  Here’s a look at what I usually have in my fridge.  These staples allow me to do what I do!

Yogurt.  I always have plain yogurt (versatile because you can add it to savory dishes or just eat it), and we usually have some small flavored yogurts that Tyler takes to work for a snack.  I keep all the yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, and other dairy containers (besides milk) on one of the top shelves.

Sauces, dressings, pesto, other homemade condiments, plus little bowls of stuff I’ve pureed for Lucy.  I like to keep these items in clear containers on the top shelf, because when I am thinking of what to make, they help determine the direction of my dinner.

Cheeses.  I always have a very hard cheese, like Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, because these last forever and come in handy for flavoring all sorts of dishes.  I also like to have a softer cheese for salads (blue, goat, feta) plus a semi-hard cheese (cheddar, gouda, etc) for snacking or serving with crackers/breads if people stop over unexpectedly and I need to offer some nibbles.

Prepped veggies and fruit in clear containers.  I’ll admit on my busiest weeks this doesn’t always happen, but most of the time, I have ready-to-eat fruits and veggies visible when I open the fridge.  I can snack on these, or use them for a meal without having to chop as much.

Eggs.  When I set out to make a meal, particularly dinner, the first thing I do is pick a protein.  If we don’t have meat, tofu, or fish, I plan around eggs and/or beans.  So I always have eggs in the fridge.  They last for a month or more, so they rarely go bad before they get used.  (Also pictured here is leftover rice and beans from a Mexican dinner out – I used these twice for taco salad).

Grains or breads.  Each week, I pick one whole grain bread product (pita, tortillas, bread, bagels, etc) to use for breakfast, sandwiches, or a side at dinner.  Sometimes I forgo the bread for another grain like bulgur, wheat berries, wild rice, or couscous; I’ll cook a big batch then reheat the grains for meals or add them to salads.

Veggies.  These are the staple of our diet.  Every night our meal is mainly vegetables, with a little protein, grain, and cheese or nuts thrown in.  Some weeks I feel like salads – so when shopping, I’ll buy veggies that are best eaten raw (lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, avocado, green onions, carrots, etc).  Other weeks I feel like soup or cooked dishes – so I get veggies that are good for roasting, sauteing, or stewing (onions, mushrooms, potatoes, asparagus, squash, etc).  I rarely buy ingredients for salads and cooked dishes, because this leads to wasted produce.

Fruit. (And more veggies).  I like to have 2-3 kinds of fruit at all times, since this means I’ll snack on fruit instead of something less nutritious.  I keep apples and cut fruit/berries in the fridge, but other fruits (as well as onions, lemons, or anything that needs to ripen more) stay at room temperature.

Cooking without recipes does take a little practice, but there’s no better time to get started than now.  The more you do it, the better you’ll get, and the more fun it will become.  It’s definitely worth the “investment” of learning, since you’ll eventually a save a huge amount of time, money, and stress!  Here are some more articles with other tips to help get you started:

Spice Cabinet Staples and When to Use Them

How to Be Your Own Personal Chef

Motivating to Make Dinner

Before you roll your eyes and say “Puh-leeease. Must we really make Halloween healthier too?!” – read these tips.  I’m not suggesting that you forfeit your mini Snickers, offer trick-or-treaters celery sticks, or make your own costume from renewable bamboo.  Rather, I want to give you a few ideas – courtesy of Green Halloween – to make this traditionally junk-filled (not just junk food, but also junk-based costumes, accessories, plastic bags, wrappers, etc that are part of Halloween) a little less toxic.  Even if you implement one or two of these tips, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint and better protect the little ghosts and goblins in your life.

1. When it comes to costumes and décor—reuse, borrow, trade, purchase used or do-it-yourself.
2. Treat bags can be anything! For extra fun, match the bag to the costume using something you already own. Here are some ideas: purses, flower pots (cover the hole), cloth sacks, backpacks, lunch boxes.
3. Choose healthier treats. Take baby steps with organic candy or fruit-based packaged products (like fruit leathers and naturally colored/flavored fruit snacks).
4. Choose fun treasures instead of conventional sweets. Think of the treasures your child collects in her pockets—pretty rocks, coins, etc.
5. If you’re giving a party, choose reusable tablecloths, napkins, plates, and cups.  Check out Preserve picnic products – they’re made from used yogurt cups and can be reused.
6. Walk from house to house when you trick-or-treat instead of driving.
7. Compost pumpkins and other food, including leftover candy.
8. Make your own non-toxic face paint – here’s a recipe: 
9. Collect candy wrappers and help your kids turn them into gift items like purses, bracelets and picture frames. Find directions on the internet.
10. Purchase treats that are free of hydrogenated oil (trans fats) or palm oil. 

Have other ideas for greening Halloween?  We’d love to hear!

Happy greening!!