Comments on: Today Day

by: dee dee

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:51:21 +0000

Hi Jonathon,
I haven’t visited in a while and was delighted to see that you were on the Today Show. That was a great segment. I belong to a CSA and find that sometimes it’s hard to use up all the food before the next pick-up date - especially when some things come in all at once. We have a tiny freezer and don’t want to increase our carbon imprint by buying a larger one. We just have to learn to be more inventive with our cooking.
Thanks for your work.
Dee Dee

by: Jonathan

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:52:22 +0000

Rosa,
From what I hear, steer clear of pasta with pesto. It sounds like you’re doing a good job minimizing food waste, which is all you can do because, with kids, you’re never going to eliminate it.

Moe,
A2H (Second Harvest) has some detractors, for sure. But I wouldn’t lump them in with those massive food companies just because they get support from them. A2H is still feeding a lot of people–with both healthy and not-so-healthy foods.

Also, say what you will about Cheerios and other mainstream processed foods, but many people with the means to eat whatever they want choose to eat them. I do like that camp mantra, by the way.

by: Moe Berrigan

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 03:34:30 +0000

These comments are great…the bit I liked the best was the visuals…scraping of the obviously good food into the trash, the still tasty looking shrimp, and most of all, the visual of the average monthly waste! I was shocked, seeing it all laid out like that.

A camp I worked at teaches the kids this mantra:

Take what you need, eat what you take!

I want to comment on Second Harvest as well…I’m from Ontario and so hadn’t heard of this organization until coming across a link in my research. I can’t say that Second Harvest appeals to me. With ConAgra and Kraft as their most respected partners, it is clear that combating the bigger structural problems around food insecurity, malnutrition, poverty and obesity are not their aims. These companies are in it for profit, nothing more — don’t kid yourself. We need to extract them from the equation when we’re talking about feeding the poor. Thats why I was happy that City Harvest was shown in the interview, because they are serving nutritious, REAL food! (Kraft Dinner and Cheerios are NOT food

by: Rosa

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:53:40 +0000

I liked the visual of one week’s worth of waste a lot (though - who wastes eggs? They last in the fridge for just about ever)

I’m a mom of a toddler who is drastically underweight, and we’ve been advised by various pediatricians & nutritionists to never, ever have a power struggle with him over food.

So we eat a lot of little meals, at least half of them things we know he’ll eat. And at the meals aimed more at big people (dinner each night) he gets a tiny smidgen of food on his plate, then more if he wants. It doesn’t eliminate food waste - I found a pbj in the diaper bag this morning when I was restocking it - but it cuts it down quite a bit. He doesn’t seem to be any more picky than any other toddler (he ate squash & lentil casserole last night, but turned up his nose at broccoli rabe)

by: Julius

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:06:38 +0000

Jonathan, about those billboards: I’m not going past there again for a few days, but I’ve included as my URL the campaign’s website if you’re interested. I’ll try to snap a picture when I get the chance, though.

by: Katy Wolk-Stanley

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:32:12 +0000

I think “The Today Show” segment was great.

There is a bit of “preaching to the converted” when one has a website, that someone has to make a conscious decision to click on.

A TV show casts a wider net to speak to people of a backgrounds and mindset.

I too liked the Madison Square Garden graphic! It really drove the point home.

-Katy Wolk-Stanley

The Non-Consumer Advocate

http://thenonconsumeradvocate.wordpress.com

by: Vanessa Madrigal

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:31:22 +0000

I love that this was addressed on tv. And you looked great! :] We do tend to waste a lot. Some of us know it and try to change our habits. But, some just don’t even think about it. This was a nice little reminder!

by: Brenda Lotito

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:58:32 +0000

Hi Everyone,
I did like the segment on the Today show. This is the first step in educating Americans exactly how much waste is piling up in our already overburdened landfills. I would suggest, though, that instead of going to the store more often, utilize the “scraps” to make another meal- (maybe a broth, or sauce, or just for flavor). Believe it or not, they make for a tasty meal!
In my composting business, I have been contacted by truck drivers who have had loads turned away. Unfortunately, the local food banks can get overloaded and may not be able to take the food items. This, in turn, triggers them to call for garbage pick up or pick up from a composting facility, if they’re lucky.
Composting food waste on site is another way to complete the circle, including composting in your own home (vermicomposting is my preferred method). My business encourages customers to compost pre and post consumer food waste, using our heated unit. This gives them a raw compost product that they can either use on their property, or donate a portion to a green area/ garden activity of our city. Here is a link to our last composting project- http://www.oncenter.org/enewsletter/

by: Jonathan

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:51:24 +0000

Bridget,
I’m with you–I don’t advocate shopping more frequently. I think that’ll ultimately just lead to more food in the house. It might work for some people, but probably not for most.

I don’t doubt that that boy could state his preferences, just marvelling at the coincidence of catching it on camera. Handling children’s eating habits sound like tough decisions. I don’t envy parents on that front.

by: bridget

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:47:11 +0000

That was a pretty good piece. I think the best part was showing what an average house wastes in a MONTH. Goodness, I think we could live off that for 3 weeks! I think the advice about shopping more frequently doesn’t work - we don’t waste a lot, but we try to shop less frequently and have our basics on hand.

Dealing with toddlers and food waste is a challenge, and actually something I’ve been thinking a lot about since finding your blog about a month ago. There are many schools of thought - eat it or else; give them an option; eat it or go hungry; cook something they’ll eat. There are also issues of eating disorders to be concerned about. We go between ‘go hungry’ or ‘cook something they’ll eat.’ My 3-year-old child would definitely say “I don’t want the pasta” or “I don’t like pesto.” I don’t think there was a bribe involved in that one. And our response was “Well, eat it or go hungry.”

I participate in “Pantry Challenges” from time to time; an online group commits to trying to shop less and use items from the pantry/fridge/freezer/garden as a way to economize. That is another angle the story could taken.