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"I am dedicated to treating my body, my mind, my environment, and my community well. "

Jill's points

  • 5 TODAY
  • 15 THIS WEEK
  • 213 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    14
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    7.4
    pounds
    food waste prevented
  • UP TO
    6.0
    advocacy actions
    completed

Jill's 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 3
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

Storage

Properly Store Herbs

I will store fresh herbs just like cut flowers in a jar with 1 to 2 inches of water and cover with a plastic bag to maintain moisture. For woody or hardy herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage and chives, I will arrange them lengthwise on a damp paper towel, rolled up, then sealed in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator. I will properly store 3 bunches of herbs.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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

Community

Watch a Documentary About Food

I will watch 1 videos or documentaries to learn about the scope and scale of food waste in this country.

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 2.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Order Half-Portions or Share Meals

I will ask for half-portions options or share an entrée when eating out to minimize food waste.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed


  • Jill Collins Mattson's avatar
    Jill Collins Mattson 10/13/2026 6:37 AM
    We went to Costco to get our updated flu and covid vaccines, and I made sure to have a snack beforehand so we wouldn't be tempted to grab anything we didn't need while we were there. We were successful!

  • Jill Collins Mattson's avatar
    Jill Collins Mattson 10/13/2026 6:34 AM
    On the way back home, we stopped to get coffee and a little bite to eat. My options of being gluten free were a bit limited and I ended up choosing something small. When we got back to the Twin Cities, we attended another friend's son's 1st birthday party, and I was so pleasantly surprised to see how little food was being tossed! Proud of the whole crew!

  • Jill Collins Mattson's avatar
    Jill Collins Mattson 10/13/2026 6:32 AM
    While out in rural Wisconsin, we did some hiking and found a little cafe for lunch that offered 1/2 sandwich 1/2 salad - it was the perfect amount after our state park adventures.

    • Kara Lundin's avatar
      Kara Lundin 10/13/2026 8:23 AM
      Oh, I love the half sandwich and a cup of soup option at the little cafes. I wish that was just standard on every menu. Hope you enjoyed your adventure!

  • Jill Collins Mattson's avatar
    Jill Collins Mattson 10/13/2026 6:32 AM
    I headed out of town on 10/9 for a cabin weekend with a close friend, and we did not do a ton of meal planning and wanted to support the local businesses in the surrounding small towns. Proud to say we came back with only a bit of leftovers, and we did not waste anything we brought with us or purchased while we were there

  • Jill Collins Mattson's avatar
    Jill Collins Mattson 10/08/2026 2:22 PM
    Week 1, and doing a great job of consuming our leftovers! We're deep into soup season and we've got lots of warm meals ahead of us that we can make in bulk and savor throughout the weeks as the leaves change, the sun goes down earlier, and the air feels a bit more chilly

    • H McCrillis 's avatar
      H McCrillis 10/08/2026 8:33 PM
      True, even though this weekend could be an extension of our salad days.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Planning
    What have you found out since you started taking an inventory of your fridge before shopping?

    Jill Collins Mattson's avatar
    Jill Collins Mattson 10/08/2026 2:12 PM
    When making a grocery list, my partner and I used to sit on the couch and chat about what we were adding. We have shifted into getting up to look at what we have as we put our list together to make sure we're not buying what we already have.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Shopping
    What are some of the things you typically buy that you weren't on your list? How do you think you might limit some of those purchases?

    Jill Collins Mattson's avatar
    Jill Collins Mattson 10/07/2026 7:45 AM
    Seeing a sale item that wasn't on our list but could be used in the future is something I gravitate towards - typically tends to be meat that we could put in our deep freezer. I think having what our meal plans are for the week will help us to be more mindful of what is on our list
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Shopping
    What can you do to make sure you never shop hungry?

    Jill Collins Mattson's avatar
    Jill Collins Mattson 10/07/2026 7:34 AM
    I am a big fan of smaller meals throughout the day, so grabbing a yogurt drink or a babybel before I get in the car to head to the grocery store has helped quite a bit!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Shopping
    How has buying bulk impacted the amount of food you waste?

    Jill Collins Mattson's avatar
    Jill Collins Mattson 10/07/2026 7:33 AM
    Absolutely - I bought bags of apples after making a new fall recipe, and found that I overbought and ended up discarding a few of the apples. I really prefer to buy produce that I can touch and feel outside of a plastic bag, and so that I can buy the amount we will be able to consume
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community
    Do you know if the restaurants you frequently visit offer smaller portions? Do you feel comfortable asking for them if not?

    Jill Collins Mattson's avatar
    Jill Collins Mattson 10/07/2026 7:27 AM
    I have been making more conscious decisions when going to a restaurant - if portions are larger, I have made improvements in eating only a portion and saving the leftovers for another meal the following day.