A core value of American democracy is prioritizing the common good. This means caring about what is happening to those around us. About one in five American children go hungry at some point during the year, while as much as 40 percent of America's food supply gets thrown away every day.
The following ideas for meal prep and handling leftovers cultivate the democratic virtues of awareness, caring, and consideration of others:
- Before you begin preparing your meal, consider what use you can make of any food that isn't eaten. Ask yourself, "What good use can I make of any leftovers?"
- Watch the Jeremy Seifert documentary Dive! Living Off American's Waste and/or Grant Baldwin's Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story, and resolve to implement at least one tip from http://www.foodwastemovie.com/food-waste-tips/ or https://www.epa.gov/recycle/reducing-wasted-food-home.
- Offer the following prayer: O Bread of Life, give us the patience, grace, and reverence to stop wasting so much food. Help us to buy less, eat modest portions at meals, and savor all our food as we consume it. May we be always grateful for the blessings of strength and flourishing that come from our food. And may we recommit ourselves to finding ways to get food to those who are hungry.
