Did you know, 40% of the food produced in the US goes uneaten? That means that 80 billion pounds of food (which is equivalent to 1000 Empire State Buildings) is sent straight to landfill. 

When food scraps are sent to tightly packed landfills, they’re forced to decompose without oxygen (aka anaerobically) and methane is produced as a byproduct.

Why is that bad?

Methane is one of the most powerful greenhouse gases and is a leading contributor to climate change (learn more about methane here!)

Reducing food waste is one of the top three most effective ways to fight climate change, and it all starts with groceries and in the kitchen.

Overbuying food, which then goes uneaten, is a big contributor to the food waste problem. In fact, the average person wastes approximately 219 pounds of uneaten food per year. To eliminate that, before heading to the grocery store or the farmers market I like to assess what I’ll actually use for the week ahead, and only buy what I need. Check out more of my grocery planning tips here!

I like to shop at the local farmer’s market and bulk stores because it’s usually easier to avoid plastic and packaging, but I’m also a big fan of grocery delivery services (especially during the pandemic!) like Imperfect Foods. They’re reimagining grocery delivery for a kinder, less wasteful world by sourcing food that would typically have been tossed because it was, well, “imperfect” (think: undersized apples, funky shaped sweet potatoes, garlic that was slightly too small, not quite tricolor quinoa, and so much more). They’ve set up a system so that this underdog, yet perfectly good food doesn’t go to waste!

Since launching in 2015, Imperfect Foods has recovered 139 million pounds of food and donated 5.7 million pounds to food banks and nonprofits fighting hunger. It’s an innovative business model that’s tackling food waste at the source, plus their boxes are 100% recyclable cardboard, so it’s all low-waste.

I decided to try Imperfect Foods for myself and created this Zero Waste, Vegan Spaghetti Squash with the produce that came in my box!

Psst. Code PFS10 will give you $10 off your first two orders of Imperfect Foods.

Ok, now onto the good stuff…

The Recipe

Instructions

1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.

Psst. Instead of throwing away the seeds and, well, squash guts, consider saving them and trying one of these!

2. Palace the halved squash on a baking sheet, lined with either compostable parchment paper or a reusable silicone baking mat. 

3. Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper over the squash. 

4. Flip the spaghetti squash upside down, so that the outer shell of the squash is facing up, and bake at 400F/200C for 40mins.

5. While the squash is baking, dice 1 white onion and 4 cloves of garlic. 

Psst. Rather than tossing your onion skins, garlic peelings, and other food scraps into the trash, consider reusing them! Here are 10 creative and simple ways to upcycle your scraps 😉🧅🧄🍅

6. Add the onion and garlic to a saucepan with a few tablespoons of olive oil, and leave to sweat on low heat for about 10 minutes. 

7. Once the onion is translucent and soft, dice 3 whole tomatoes, or about 3 cups worth, and add to the pan. I used Campari tomatoes because they were in my Imperfect box, but any tomatoes will do!

8. Add in the juice of ½ a lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce for 20 minutes, or until you’ve achieved your preferred pasta sauce consistency. At the final 10 minute mark, add in your chopped kale to soften.

9. Once the squash is cooked, pull it out of the oven and tear it using a fork. It should tear easily! If it doesn’t, it’s a sign that it needs to be cooked for longer.

10. Let it cool for a few minutes, then add to a plate and top it off with the sauce. Bon appetite!

For the dishes…

When it’s time to do the dishes (*audience boos*) these are my go to, plastic free products to use.

For leftovers…

This recipe makes approximately 2-4 servings, depending on how hungry you are. To storage your leftovers, here are some of my favorite, plastic free food storage tools! I personally swear by the Package Free Airtight Stainless Steel Containers for storing my leftovers. They keep my food fresh for days, plus they can be reheated directly on the stove.