Time: Depends on the complexity of the recipes

Activity Overview: About a third of the food that is produced annually, worldwide is wasted in production, retail and consumers homes. This food waste is a giant contributor to energy waste and can have major environmental impacts in the form of gas emissions and waste of agricultural land use. Making sure to consume all the food that you purchase at the store is a great way to reduce these environmental impacts as well as an easy way to save some money!

This activity can be completed best at home, however can also be incorporated in the classroom through research based projects on food preservation and recipes.

Part 1: Create Your Recipes

For this activity, the student should gather the food that is left in the fridge at the end of the week that is about to go bad or that will most likely not be consumed if a new batch of groceries is brought in. The goal of this activity is to transform these food items in a way that will turn them into a delicious ready to eat snack or that will allow them to last longer in the fridge.

If more than one person is playing they can separate into teams, and compete to see who can make the most delicious snack. Alternatively, an individual or group can simply create some yummy recipes for their friends and family.

Part 2: Taste and Record Your Recipes

Once your tasty creations are complete, give them a taste! If you created something delicious and new with the leftover ingredients in your fridge, make sure to record the recipe so you can make it again at a later date. There is nothing better than discovering or creating a new recipe!

For chef inspiration check out our different sections on Food Preservation Techniques and Recipes!