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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
Tamasyn Walters's avatar

Tamasyn Walters

Normandale Environmental Chemistry

Tamasyn's points

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 86 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    13
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    6.9
    pounds
    food waste prevented

Tamasyn's 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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Watch a Documentary About Food

I will watch 3 videos or documentaries to learn about the scope and scale of food waste in this country.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY 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

Storage

Properly Store Berries

To keep berries fresh, place them on top of a paper towel in a sealed container to absorb excess moisture and reduce chances of molding. I will properly store 3 packs of berries.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Storage

Make Smoothies

I will freeze fruits and veggies, such as overripe bananas or avocados, to use later in smoothies.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

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 4.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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 4.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Planning
    Are there food items you have been better about using up and not wasting since you started keeping an inventory of what's in your fridge?
    Tamasyn Walters's avatar
    Tamasyn Walters 10/02/2026 8:41 AM
    This is from the perspective of a kid in their parents' home, but there are definitely items like that. So often, my parents buy things for me to eat- things I wasn't even aware we had. But keeping an inventory has made me realize we had those things, and it helps keep them from going to waste.
    Read More
  • 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?
    Tamasyn Walters's avatar
    Tamasyn Walters 10/02/2026 8:38 AM
    This does not surprise me one bit. So often, with people's busy lives, kids, and so on, it can be very difficult to focus on the food you eat. This leads a lot of people to buy a whole bunch of food so that, even if they don't know what to eat or don't have the energy, they have something. With prices rising, it would be much better if that money went to other necessities. Although I am still just a kid at home, when I brought up meal prepping, my parents were immediately on board. It also removes the stress of choosing meals. But we waste less by buying only what we need for the meal plans when we go to the store.
    Read More