Claren McLaughlin
10/13/2026 10:19 AM
Meal planning has actually helped us not buy too much! Its much easier and cheaper to just get the ingredients we know we'll need for the week and avoid wasting food.
October 1 - October 31, 2026
"Less trash, more cash!"
Claren's points
- 40 TODAY
- 75 THIS WEEK
- 434 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO36pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO19poundsfood waste prevented
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UP TO30minutesspent learning
Claren's actions
Cooking
Cook From Snout to Tail
I will try a recipe that utilizes parts of an animal that are typically wasted (skin, bones, organs, etc.).
Planning
Create a Household Favorites List
I will create a cookbook or recipe collection of go-to meals for my household to make meal planning easier.
Planning
Create a Weekly Meal Plan
I will reduce food waste and save money by planning a weekly menu of meals and ingredients for my household of 2.
Shopping
Glean or Forage
I will learn about the foods that grow locally and try gleaning or foraging.
Cooking
Swap This for That
If I am missing an ingredient for a recipe I will find a substitute I have on hand and use that instead.
Planning
Find your meal planning personality
I will explore different meal plan techniques and choose one that works for my household.
Cooking
Cook From Root to Leaf
I will try root-to-leaf recipes, which utilize all parts of the vegetable, such as beet greens, carrot tops, and herb stems.
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.
Storage
Organize My Refrigerator
I will organize my refrigerator to maximize shelf life based on the temperature and humidity of different spots.
Storage
Rotate My Foods
When I restock my fridge or pantry, I will put new items in the back and bring older items to the front to be used first.
Participant Feed
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REFLECTION QUESTIONPlanningAn average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Does this surprise you? Where would you rather use this money? How has meal planning helped you avoid waste?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONCookingHow comfortable are you with making ingredient swaps? Where do you go to find substitutes if you don't have what you need?
Claren McLaughlin 10/09/2026 8:40 AMMy favorite recipe for greek beans uses gigantes (butter beans). I would normally make a special trip to pick up more, but I'm going to use the cannellini and great northern beans that I already have in the cupboard and give it a shot!-
H McCrillis 10/10/2026 6:15 AM
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REFLECTION QUESTIONCookingAre you more likely to "hide the vegetable" in a dish or make it shine as the main ingredient? Why?
Claren McLaughlin 10/09/2026 8:38 AMVeggies are underrated! No need to hide them. However, when it comes to soups - I'll chuck just about anything in, especially when immersion blenders can hide all sorts of things! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONStorageDid you find that you were storing things in a spot that wasn't a good fit? Which items have you changed?
Claren McLaughlin 10/06/2026 1:05 PMHonestly, I was skeptical about rearranging the fridge to include a "eat this first" shelf. I used to have a "leftovers" section - but rearranging everything to accommodate a go-to section of ingredients (including condiments and produce items) that should be eaten first has already been a game-changer! I automatically look there first to see which foods to meal plan around, or which ingredients we can swap in recipes. Even in just these first few days I can tell we're doing a better job of using up the food we have before its ready for the trash/compost.