Food Scraps Put In Organics Cart Donate unused food to any of these local food banks: Calvary First Assembly of God8407 Kelley Dr, Stockton, CA 95209 | (209) 952-4734Map & DirectionsCanned and packaged goods. Have a big freezer. Can do pick-ups of a few boxes of food. Emergency Food Bank7 W Scotts Ave, Stockton, CA 95203 | (209) 464-7369Map & DirectionsCanned meats and soups, pastas. Any type that is edible. Also need plastic grocery bags or paper to donate food. Garden Acres Community Center607 Bird Ave, Stockton, CA 95215 | (209) 468-3984Map & DirectionsAccept food, canned goods, frozen items and breads. Non-perishables. Limited refrigeration. Greater need near the holidays. Northeast Community Center2885 E Harding Way, Stockton, CA 95205 | (209) 468-3918Map & DirectionsCanned foods, produce, meats, chicken, cold/ frozen food. 3 or more boxes needed for pick-up. St. Mary’s Dining Hall545 W Sonora St, Stockton, CA 95203 | (209) 467-0703Map & DirectionsOne box to a pallet. Canned goods, day old bread, etc. Ways to Reduce Avoid Food Waste Be strategic about how you store and eat your produce. Vegetarian Times provides a great explanation of why some veggies and fruit go bad before others, and offers a handy chart to help you plan your week. Create a Detailed Meal Plan One way to reduce food waste is to create a detailed meal plan for the week and build a shopping list around that meal plan. This better ensures everything will get consumed. Check out this meal planner from SaveTheFood.com. How You Store It The shelves, drawers and doors of your refrigerator are designed to hold different types of foods. When food is stored as intended, it will last longer and save you an extra trip to the store. Learn more about proper fridge organization. Ways to Reuse Donate to a Food Bank Consider donating unused food to families in need. Food banks generally accept these items: non-perishable proteins, kids’ snacks, traditional holiday food, condiments and spices, personal hygiene products, as well as baby food, formula and diapers. Did You Know? The Impact of Food Waste According to this PDF fact sheet by the NRDC, the United States invests much of its natural resources on growing food: 50 percent of land and 80 percent of fresh water in the United States is used for agriculture. Meanwhile, 40 percent of food in the United States is wasted, and 41 million Americans live in food-insecure households. I Value Food: A Campaign to End Food Waste The Perfect Compost Recipe Can I Make My Compost Pile Break Down Faster? Your compost pile breaks down faster if you mix together the right amounts of green and brown material. Your brown to green ratio is based off of your carbon to nitrogen ratio: 25-30 parts carbon to one part nitrogen is ideal. Keep in mind that food or yard waste all have different C:N ratios (shown here). Don’t get out your calculator for these ratios, instead just eyeball how much you put into the compost pile.
