Wendy Pumphrey

I eat too many processed food were the packaging comes from trees, and some of the vegetables are the result of key foods (chocolate, esp).  I need to cut back on the key foods that cause deforestation and support other specialty companies, such as the coffee that is grown in the shade so that trees do not have to be cut down. 

There are bamboo alternative available at specialty shops in the area. Others can be ordered online. 

I already knew a lot of this, but I definitely refreshed on the "sell by" date used for supermarkets to indicate inventory or recall issues.  I throw away a lot less food, store canned foods longer, and recognize that I must check the food if it has been in the frig for an undetermined amount of time.  I also recognize that I need to date leftovers so that I have a point of reference for discarding food, although I recognize that part of food management is cooking only what will be used in that meal or what can be stored safely for an extended period of time.

When first settling and exploring our nation, meat was the primary way that those advancing our territories could stay alive -- dried meat(jerky), killing deer or bison -- until a more agricultural way of life could be set up.  It seems a slow transition to vegetables, but as our society becomes more and more educated, with cooking shows and cookbooks that focus on healthy eating and how to best use local produce, we seem to be making the shift. 

One benefit is that we will eat less as a family.  As we are often taught to "clean our plates,"  having smaller plates can help our brains to register fullness much faster.  Eating less = conserving food = less waste and better for our overall health.