Dr. Charles Feldman Offers Food Tips to MarthaStewart.com

Dr. Charles Feldman, Professor in the Nutrition and Food Studies Department, recently shared tips with MarthaStewart.com on how to grocery shop to reduce food waste.

Dr. Feldman advised against buying prepared food: “Prices increase exponentially whenever a cookery step is prepared by the grocery store.” He added, instead of buying parts of a food product—say chicken breast, for example—buy the whole chicken. “The whole chicken, or its parts could be cross utilized in many different preparations,” Dr. Feldman explains. “So, you could have the breast one day, chicken salad the next, and stock or soup the next: nothing goes to waste.”

Additionally, Dr. Feldman also suggests keeping a record or chart of what you shop for and using it weekly. “Most people do not know what they will be eating the next day or even the same day,” he says. “This leads to food over-purchasing and waste—up to 30 percent or more per average household.” By taking note of your historical purchasing and preparation habits, you can then adjust your shopping based on your actual needs.