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Welcome to Save Food, Spend Less Challenge 2026!

Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an Save Food, Spend Less Challenge 2026 expert in no time!

Hennepin County | Ramsey County | Washington County
Save Food, Spend Less Challenge 2026
October 1 - October 31, 2026
Janet Meger's avatar

Janet Meger

Community Team

Janet's points

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 55 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    2.3
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    1.0
    pounds
    food waste prevented

Janet's actions

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.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Cooking

Make Soup Broth

I will store vegetable scraps or bones in my freezer and use them to make veggie stock or bone broth. I will make 2 batches.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Shopping

Skip the Cart

Bigger carts make us feel like we need to fill them! Use a hand basket to improve grocery store discipline and prevent over-purchasing.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Planning

Find your meal planning personality

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Cooking

Reimagine Leftovers

I will learn about how to repurpose my leftovers into new meals and then try it.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Cooking
    How comfortable are you with making ingredient swaps? Where do you go to find substitutes if you don't have what you need?
    Janet Meger's avatar
    Janet Meger 10/08/2026 7:30 PM
    I make ingredient swaps pretty often. I often use yogurt that I make in my Instant Pot for sour cream. I have used brown sugar for cane sugar in baking recipes. And I’ve increased the amount of whole wheat flour than what’s suggested in a recipe.
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Planning
    What meal plan method works for you and why? Have you tried some in the past that didn't work?
    Janet Meger's avatar
    Janet Meger 10/08/2026 7:23 PM
    I’m a flexible meal planner with some go to meals but always open to making new recipes if I have the time and ingredients. I need to check my fridge more often to see what I have plus move older items to the front.
    Read More