Save Food, Spend Less Challenge 2026

Danna's points

0 TODAY
55 THIS WEEK
114 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

9.5

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

5.8

pounds

food waste prevented
UP TO

180

minutes

spent learning

Danna's actions

Cooking

Cook Just Enough

I will scale down the recipe of a meal to make just the right amount for my household of 3 so we eat everything up.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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 3.

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 1
DAILY ACTION

Kids

Try New Foods

I will try a new technique to have my children try different foods (including veggies!)

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Kids

Visit a Farm

I will visit a local pizza farm, teaching farm, or CSA grower to educate myself and my children on farm-to-table concepts.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Shopping

Glean or Forage

I will learn about the foods that grow locally and try gleaning or foraging.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Planning

Track My Wasted Food

I will track the food that my household of 9 throws out so I can learn what we're wasting and why.

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

REFLECTION QUESTION
Shopping

What can you do to make sure you never shop hungry?
Danna Naula 10/07/2026 11:54 AM

To avoid shopping while hungry, I make sure to eat something light or have a small snack before leaving the house, always carry a well-organized list of what I actually need, and try to steer clear of the aisles filled with tempting treats when I know I have an empty stomach; this really helps me stay focused and avoid impulsively buying unnecessary items that end up piling up in the pantry without a clear plan.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Planning

An 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?
Danna Naula 10/07/2026 11:52 AM

Yes, those figures are quite striking and make you reflect on how much value is lost without us realizing it; I would prefer to put that money toward saving for important goals, meaningful experiences, or even higher-quality ingredients for future meals, and personally, I’ve managed to avoid much of that waste by planning weekly menus and shopping mindfully, buying only what we will actually consume.

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- Laquieta Brooks 10/07/2026 7:51 PM
  
  Those numbers are very high and shocking. Good job on managing your food waste.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Cooking

We often worry about running out of food so we make too much. What thoughts and feelings have come up when you make just the right amount to eat up all the food?
Danna Naula 10/07/2026 11:51 AM

When I cook exactly the right amount and there are no leftovers, a strange sense of lightness and balance often washes over me—as if the chaos of daily life suddenly fell into order, forming a small, invisible triumph. I feel a mix of pride in having gauged the portion correctly and, at the same time, a subtle nostalgia for the absence of those comforting leftovers that sometimes save the day when I’m feeling lazy.

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