The story of a mother’s quest to end her family’s food waste—and all the blunders that came with it.
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 readers 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 readers clever ways to be resourceful while also offering a broader look at why food waste matters and the global effects of this massive problem.
Both a resource for families and a call for worldwide change, No Scrap Left Behind offers nine-step program and hundreds of food-related tips to help readers find their own way to sustainable living, trim the grocery bill, and effect change...starting in their own kitchens.
“I raise a reusable stainless-steel canister to Teralyn Pilgrim for writing this important book, which is filled with revelatory facts (e.g. the world wastes TK stadiums of food each year) and helpful tips on how to reduce your own food waste."
—A.J. Jacobs, bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically
“No Scrap Left Behind is filled with everything you need to start reducing food waste in your home. Filled with practical tips and very human stories of one family's messy, often frustrating, and sometimes delicious journey to save money and heal the planet, this book belongs next to your favorite cookbooks.”
—Katherine Miller, author of the James Beard Award nominated At the Table: The Chef's Guide to Advocacy
"Teralyn Pilgrim is the funny, no-nonsense, heart-of-gold friend you want alongside you in the kitchen. When it comes to reducing food waste at home, she calls out advice that’s fussy or just doesn’t work and keeps things real with hard-earned insights and ideas. As I read her stories of low-waste-living trial and error, I found myself alternately laughing out loud, nodding heartily, and feeling the emotional highs and lows of her journey. Sometimes hilarious and sometimes so poignant it hurts, this book will help you make practical shifts to both make the world a better place and save you money and time.”
—Rachael Jackson, journalist and founder of EatOrToss.com
"In a fun, often funny, and always accessible style, Teralyn Pilgrim makes the serious and compelling case that what we do every day in our kitchens sends ripples around the world. Americans waste 40% of the food we grow and produce, much of it in landfills. Consumer waste hurts people, the environment, and the global economy. Her response to this crisis is smart and inspiring."
—Eric B. Schultz, former CEO of Sensitech and co-author, Food Foolish: The Hidden Connection Between Food Waste, Hunger, and Climate Change
