Having basic food education will improve food security, nutrition, contribute to environmental sustainability, and help save time and money. We can do this through various food preservation methods, meal prepping, by being health conscious, participating in food recovery and avoiding food waste.
Preserving food will give you longer lasting food, preventing spoiling. Some methods of preserving food can allow you to store food for 20 years or more. The longest lasting foods are honey, salt and sugar. There are many different methods of food preserving that can be used, such as:
Canning
Dehydrating
Fermenting
Freezing
Freeze-Drying
Pickling
Refrigerating
Root Cellaring
Salting
Sugaring
Most of these methods can easily be done at home. Save your extra food from spoiling and going to waste, by using one or more of these methods.
Make a plan to prepare your meals in advance. This can help you portion out your food, so that you know exactly what & when you're going to eat, and how much you may have left. Portioning out your food can also help with controlling how much you eat when it comes to weight gain/loss. You can do this for the day, by the week, by the month and even for the year, if you are using a combination of food preserving methods. Advanced food prepping will also save you time and money. When food is cooked ahead of time, it will result in minimal time of reheating and preparing your food, once you're ready to eat it. Money will be saved for the same reasons. We know when we're hungry, we are ready to eat anything, which is where fast food comes in. It results in unnecessary money spent, on unhealthy eating choices. Save your time, money & health; meal prep!
Your health is your wealth! The healthier you are the more you can do. Always consult with your doctor or nutritionist for healthy eating habits that will benefit your body specifically. We are all made up differently; what works for your body may not work for a friend or family member. While you're eating healthy, don't forget to exercise. Exercise your body and mind when and if you can. Before doing any physical exercise, you may first need to consult with/or a combination of, your doctor, physical therapist and/or physical fitness trainer to stay safe, depending on your physical needs & abilities.
Physical Exercise Examples Can Be:
Lifting weights in the gym
Playing sports
Calisthenics at home
Physical therapy after an injury/surgery
Any style of dancing
Going for a walk in the park or neighborhood
Mental Exercise Examples Can Be:
Reading a book
Completing a jigsaw or crossword puzzle
Playing an instrument
Arts and crafts such as painting, drawing, sewing, poetry or music
Playing memory games or board games
Stay active physically and mentally!
Save your seeds from your produce; grow your own food. For other produce that don't have seeds, you can plant whole or plant stem or leaf cuttings. They will regrow roots and make new fruit when they mature. You can start these seeds or plant cuttings in a plant pot or in your yard. If you are looking for specific seeds or a plant that has already started growing; you can get them at:
Large chain grocery stores
Hardware stores
Plant nurseries or
Seed banks
To further understand how and when to plant; follow the seed packet instructions or go to the USDA website for plant hardiness zone maps.
Keep the environment clean, our water sources safe and the soil that grows our food from being contaminated. We can all do this by being more conscious of what we do with our waste. It helps to know where everything goes.
Green Bin Trash (Yard Trimmings)
Such As:
Grass
Leaves
Plants
Blue Bin Trash (Recyclables)
Such As:
Paper
Newspaper, mail, magazines, books, printer paper, envelopes, sticky notes, flyers, arts & crafts paper
Cardboard
Cardboard boxes, tissue boxes, cereal boxes, frozen food boxes, shoe boxes, laundry detergent boxes, paper towel & toilet paper rolls
Cartons
Fruit juice boxes & cartons, milk cartons, wine boxes, cereal boxes
Metals
Soda cans, soup cans, fruit & vegetable cans, pie tIns, wire hangers, empty paint & aersol cans, pet food cans, aluminum foil
Glass
Pickle jars, spaghetti sauce jars, wine bottles, beer bottles, broken bottles
Plastics
Soda bottle, juice bottle, cooking oil bottles, mouthwash bottles, milk jugs, lotion bottles, margarine containers, yogurt cups
Black Bin Trash (Household Trash Sent To Landfills)
Such As:
Contaminated Paper
Heavily soiled papers or bags with oils or food waste
Glass
Window glass, mirror glass, auto glass, crystal, ceramics, regular light bulbs
Miscellaneous Materials
Clothing/fabric, mini blinds, kitchen utensils, lawn furniture, garden hoses, rubber tires, construction materials
Brown Bin Trash (Horse Manure)
Electronic Waste (All Electronics)
Such As:
Electronic Devices
Phones, tablets, laptops, TVs,
Appliances
Microwaves, toasters, toaster ovens, air fryers, electrical can openers, stoves, refrigerators
Other Electronics
Cords & wirings, batteries, electric & battery operated toys, car batteries, fluorescent & LED light bulbs
*Electronic waste is accepted at the curbside by appointment with LA Sanitation or taken to LA Sanitation S.A.F.E. Centers & Mobile Collection Events
Hazardous Materials Waste (Household Hazardous Waste)
Such As:
Syringes & Needles
Diabetic needles & lancets, hormone injection needles, Epi-Pens
Drugs
Pills, liquids, gel caps, vials & injectables
Medical Waste
Clothing, bandages, rags or anything heavily soiled in blood/body fluids
Partially Filled Aerosol Cans & Containers
Cleaning fluids, automotive fluids, pesticides, oil based paint, garden chemicals, pool cleaners
*Hazardous materials waste can be taken to LA Sanitation S.A.F.E. Centers & Mobile Collection Events
Composting
Composting Is A Process That Turns Your Food Waste Into Nutrient Rich Soil To Help Produce Healthy Plants(Food). You Can Compost Food Using A Compost Bin Or Compost Directly In Your Garden.
What Can Be Composted:
Fruits & Veggies Fresh Herbs
Cooked Rice Cooked Pasta
Grass Straw
Flowers Leaves
Coffee Grounds Tea Leaves
Newspaper Cardboard
Paper Towels Dryer Lint
Nut Shells Egg Shells
Oatmeal Sawdust
Animal Manure -Chickens, Cows, Horses, Rabbits
What Can't Be Composted:
Meat Fish
Bones Cooking oil
Charcoal Treated Wood
Cat/Dog Feces Human Feces
Dairy Products Like Milk & Butter
Nutrition is the study of nutrieints in food, how our bodies use these nutrients to function properly, and the relation it has with your health, your diet and diseases. Nutrients nourish the body, helping it to have energy, proper growth, and cure or curb disease. There are lots of different kinds of nutrients in food, here are 7 major ones:
Water -A person can only survive a few days without consuming water. The human body is made up of mostly water, and every cell in the body needs it to function.
Vitamins -There are 13 major vitamins, Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, C, D, E, & K. They all have a different job within the body with some working together.
Minerals -These are elements in the earth and in foods that the body needs to develop and function normally. Here are 21 minerals known to be needed in our diets through food; calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iodine, manganese, sulfur, fluoride, chromium, selenium, boron, silicon, vanadium, nickel, arsenic, molybdenum
Proteins -Proteins come from meats, eggs, nuts, beans & legumes
Carbohydrates -You can get carbohydrates out of potatoes, pasta, corn, popcorn, breads
Fats -There are fats that are considered good fats and bad fats. Good fats(unsaturated fats:monounsaturated fats & polyunsaturated fats) mostly come from plants; like vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and avocados, and animals like fish. Bad fats(saturated fats) mostly come from animal based foods; like meats, cheese, milk, butter, and deep fried foods. There are a few plant foods with bad fats, like coconut oil, palm oil and kernel oil. Fats are an important part of your diet like any other nutrient. It gives you energy, keeps your body warm, and protects your organs. What's important, is to get a balance of fats and other nutrients in your daily meals.
Dietary Fiber -Fiber is essential to digesting your foods; it helps keep your bowel movements regular. You must stay hydrated(drink water) to allow fiber to work in your body, so there's no buildup of waste in your gut. Fiber foods are foods like whole wheat or whole grain products, beans, fruits and veggies.
LA Sanitation lacitysan.org
USDA usda.gov
USDA myplate.gov
Medlineplus medlineplus.gov
Harvard School Of Public Health hsph.harvard.edu
WebMD webmd.com
Wikipedia wikipedia.org
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