Save Food, Spend Less Challenge 2026

Katie's points

35 TODAY
80 THIS WEEK
190 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

12

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

5.6

pounds

food waste prevented
UP TO

15

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

12

zero-waste meals

consumed

Katie's actions

Shopping

Eat Before Shopping

I will resist impulse buys by eating a snack or meal before going grocery shopping. Those who grocery shop on an empty stomach spend 64% more than not-hungry shoppers.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Planning

Make Time for Meal Prep

I will set aside time to prepare meals in advance.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Planning

Find your meal planning personality

I will explore different meal plan techniques and choose one that works for my household.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Planning

Keep a Food Inventory

I will take a fridge and pantry inventory to stay up to date with what I have at home before I go grocery shopping.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Planning

Sign up for Fridge Check Fridays

I will sign up for Fridge Check Friday emails, sent by Hennepin County but open to everyone, to prompt me to check my fridge for food that needs to be used up and for hacks on storing food to keep it fresh.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Shopping

Stick to Your Grocery List

I will only purchase the items on my grocery list and avoid impulse purchases.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Shopping

Buy Loose Produce and Shop the Bulk Bins

I will buy loose produce or food from the bulk section to get the exact quantity I need, instead of buying pre-packed quantities.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Storage

Learn About Food Storage

I will learn about food storage and store food based on best practices to keep it from spoiling before it is used.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Storage

Preserve food

I will try a new method of food preservation, such as canning, pickling, drying or making jam. I will try 2 preservation techniques.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Storage

Create an Eat First Area

I will create an "Eat First" area in my fridge to prioritize food that needs to be used right away for my household of 1.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Planning

Do you have days when you don't have time to spend making food? How has meal prep helped one those days?
Katie Brom 10/12/2026 2:11 PM

Most weekdays I don't have any motivation in the morning to prep lunch - it has been working out really well to have a stash of pre-parsed out meals in the freezer. Having something healthy and tasty that I can just grab quickly has kept me from (guiltily) eating out for lunch! It's a lot of work (time) on the front end, but I think it's worth it so far. I'm also trying to get better at making overnight oats before going to bed so that I have a similarly hearty/tasty breakfast waiting for me, but I don't always remember.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Planning

What meal plan method works for you and why? Have you tried some in the past that didn't work?
Katie Brom 10/07/2026 12:42 PM

The quiz popped out that I'm a 'Flexible Planner', which sounds spot on. I don't enjoy following the specifics of a recipe (hate having to shop for things so specifically!) and often make sure I just have certain staple ingredients in the house and then shop for the perishables by what sounds good, is on sale, or seasonally available.

I've definitely tried being more regimented in my shopping (and therefore my meal prep) and have tried forgoing plans altogether and I think that somewhere in the middle works best for me and my brain.

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