I find it interesting that we worry about what happens to our discarded paper and plastic, but if you are serious about going green, consider recycling leftovers. You would be surprised how much you can save by not shoving your food waste down the disposal. So let’s take a look and see how we can get the most out of our grocery dollar.

First of all, did you know Americans waste over 100 billion pounds of food a year? And you know that carrot you think is biodegradable? It can take up to 40 years for it to disappear! One way for us to cut back on the amount of food we waste is to analyze everything that goes into the trash and what goes down the disposal. If you are throwing away a half box of stale cereal, then you should either buy a smaller box or consider storing it in airtight containers. If you tend to have leftovers from weekly meals, then try preparing less or taking them to work for lunch. The trick is to take inventory and either find a way to use what you have or prepare less. If you would like to read more about recycling your leftovers, including some recipes to help you use them up, visit the website for WholeLiving.com.

Photo courtesy of Petrr