Waste in Food Storage 
Lack of information on proper storage methods causes waste. 
Simple precautions will eliminate much of this-—especially when 
available refrigerating space is small. 
1. Left-overs in the refrigerator lose their moisture and flavor unless 
properly covered. Dairy products left uncovered absorb odors of 
other foods. 
2. Meats often spoil unless placed in the coldest part of the re¬ 
frigerator. 
3. Forgotten foods shoved back in the ice box too often end up in 
the garbage can. A daily inventory of the ice box is a food saver. 
4. All foods do not require immediate refrigeration, so the ice box 
need not become a catch-all. Millions of dwellings have cellars suit¬ 
able for storage of certain foods. A properly sunken and covered 
barrel or box in the back yard makes excellent storage space for root 
vegetables like potatoes, carrots, turnips, and beets. 
5. Frequent inspection of packaged goods saves waste. This elimi¬ 
nates potential damage from insects and mice. 
Waste in the Preparation of Food 
Food values can be completely lost in cooking. For example, paring 
away from one-tenth to one-fourth of the potato results in physical 
loss. But in addition, iron and vitamin C in the potato are dissipated 
by not cooking with the jacket on. 
Most housewives still cook vegetables in too much water—and 
drain off the water and pour it down the sink. This wastes vitamins 
and minerals which seeped out of the vegetables into the water. 
Nutrition value and flavor in vegetables like cabbage and turnips 
are lost by too long cooking. 
We throw away the leaves of cauliflower, cabbage, endive, and 
chard, overlooking the nutrient value they add to stews and soups. 
Much waste occurs because the housewife fails to try recipes which 
would make some of the less popular vegetables more appetizing. 
Many housewives throw out left-overs or withhold their best efforts 
on them because they lack the knowledge of proper preparation 
methods. 
Waste at the Table 
The most obvious waste of food in the home takes place at the 
table. „ The actual cause of much of this waste lies in the planning, 
purchasing, storage, and preparation of food. But part is caused 
also by prevailing table habits. 
We resist “new” or unfamiliar foods. Uneaten portions are left 
and are wasted—and the unpopularity of the experiment acts against 
future purchases of the product. 
In wartime, when the shortage of many familiar foods increases the 
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