{"id":38,"date":"2014-11-18T02:42:45","date_gmt":"2014-11-18T02:42:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ivaluefood.com\/resources\/?post_type=cooking-eating&p=38"},"modified":"2016-08-24T18:05:37","modified_gmt":"2016-08-24T18:05:37","slug":"get-kids-to-waste-less-food","status":"publish","type":"cooking-eating","link":"https:\/\/ivaluefood.com\/resources\/cooking-eating\/get-kids-to-waste-less-food\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Ways to Get Kids to Waste Less Food"},"content":{"rendered":"

News flash: If you have young children at home, you\u2019re likely to waste more food than other households, according to research by the USDA<\/a>. And if you\u2019re a parent, you can probably guess why. Kids have eyes bigger than their stomachs; one week they love milk, the next they don\u2019t; they can be picky and squeamish; and they get full quickly.<\/p>\n

In addition to smart food strategies like making grocery lists<\/a> and using up leftovers<\/a>, families can take some extra steps to help their kids waste less food. These tips will also help you save money and \u2014 most importantly \u2014 give kids the tools they need to grow up to value food, not waste it.<\/p>\n

1. Take a family food waste challenge. \u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Take our 6-week food waste challenge<\/a> as a family. Kids will have fun measuring how much food gets wasted and coming up with ideas for how to waste less. You can even set a family goal, like reducing overall waste by 25%. If your family succeeds, you all get a reward, like a trip to an amusement park or a dinner at a favorite restaurant.<\/p>\n

2. Plan for a week of meals. \u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cPlanning ahead not only reduces waste, it also allows busy families to make fewer grocery trips, saving time and gas,\u201d says Aviva Goldfarb, a family dinner expert and Today Show contributor. If planning meals ahead isn\u2019t in your DNA, check out The Six O\u2019Clock Scramble<\/a>, Goldfarb\u2019s online family meal-planning service. It eliminates the number of decisions you need to make and takes the stress out of planning for and preparing meals.<\/p>\n

3. Limit pre-meal snacking.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t let your children snack mindlessly when you\u2019re approaching dinnertime, says Goldfarb. \u201cNot only are they less likely to make healthy snack choices during this time of day, they may also fill up their little tummies too much to eat a normal portion during dinner, increasing the chances of wasted food and less nourished kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

Take the Challenge:<\/span> Learn easy ways to waste less food and save money.<\/a><\/div>\n

4. Make food easy to eat.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How many times have you had to toss a half-eaten banana or an apple with two bites taken out of it? Instead of offering whole fruits and vegetables, cut them into bite-size pieces. A study<\/a> at Cornell University found that offering sliced apples at an elementary cafeteria increased fruit sales by 61 percent!<\/p>\n

5. Give food funny names.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Having fun with food might help your kids eat more of what\u2019s on their plates. Another study at Cornell showed that giving ordinary vegetables names like \u201cX-ray Vision Carrots,\u201d \u201cSilly Dilly Green Beans,\u201d and \u201cPower Punch Broccoli\u201d got elementary school students to eat more vegetables. Try naming dishes you make frequently, like \u201cSuperhero Spaghetti\u201d or \u201cPrincess Pancakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Get the portions right.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If they are too young to serve themselves, serve young children small portions of food at meal and snack time. \u201cThey have little tummies and if you heap too much onto their plates, some of it is likely to go to waste,\u201d says Goldfarb.<\/p>\n

Allow older children to serve themselves. Encourage them to take small portions then go back for more if they\u2019re still hungry. \u201cKids will learn how to gauge their appetites and are less likely to have \u2018plate waste\u2019 because they decided themselves how much to serve up,\u201d Goldfarb says.<\/p>\n

7. Save what they don\u2019t eat.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If your child declares they are full before finishing a reasonable amount of their meal, save the leftovers. \u201cInstead of having them snack on something less than wholesome an hour or two later, they can finish their meal, reducing waste and increasing the likelihood of a well-rounded diet,\u201d says Goldfarb.<\/p>\n

8. Pack lunches strategically.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Help your kids avoid the \u201clunchbox dump\u201d at school by strategically packing their lunches. Here are some tips from Goldfarb:<\/p>\n