No Scrap Left Behind: My Life Without Food Waste

Summary

Teralyn Pilgrim had no idea the environmental and economic impact of food waste, or that she could save $100 a month by being waste free. But when a story of hungry children fills her with unbearable guilt, she decided to make a change to the way her family approached mealtime. Despite finicky kids and a skeptical husband, Pilgrim turned her feelings of guilt into action and created a zero-food waste kitchen.

Pilgrim began her journey by defining food waste with Rule #1: the Hungry Kid Test—would you throw something edible away with a hungry child watching? If the answer is yes, it can go in the compost. If the answer is no, then it's time to get creative.

Narrating her trials and errors—emphasis on errors—Pilgrim invites listeners to her table, where leftover food is a personal challenge to reduce waste, save money, and guard against squandering natural resources. Things get tricky when she discovers a five-year-old fish in her freezer, accidentally buys the grossest fat-free cookies in the world, and finds her dog is as picky as the kids. Addressing myths about how being waste-free is too hard (it's not) and whether expiration dates mean anything (they don't), Pilgrim teaches listeners clever ways to be resourceful while also offering a broader look at why food waste matters and the global effects of this massive problem.