1

Reducing Food Waste:

Cooking with Scraps

Brought to you by The Dumpster Dining Team:

Jessica Nuez, Cozmo Nakamura, Christina Son, Kevin Hsu, Elisha
Hernandez, & Asyraf Muhammad.

Contents
1. Introduction to the course3
1.1.

The goal of this pamphlet3

1.2.

The problem of food waste4

1.3.

Course goals6

1.4.

Syllabus6

2. Weekly Breakdown10
2.1.

Info Session10

2.2.

Restaurant Leftovers13

2.3.

Household Leftovers14

2.4.

Canning & Jamming16

2.5.

Drying & Pickling18

2.6.

Nose-to-Tail21

2.7.

Root-to-Stalk23

2.8.

Snacking Past the Sell-By26

2.9.

Planning & Prepping29

2.10. Potluck31

3. Additional Resources31
4. Acknowledgements32
5. Bibliography32

1. Introduction
Cooking with Scraps is a 10-week cooking class series that
teaches and encourages participants to be creative and sustainable
consumers while educating them about the social, economic, and
environmental effects of food waste. Participants will also gain a
better understanding of the systemic institutional and community
practices which continue to propagate non-sustainable food
production, distribution, and consumption processes. While major
reductions in food waste require inciting change at the
institutional and policy levels this change will not occur in
absence of a collectivist voice of individuals with the passion and
vested interest required to demand it. Through facilitating these
individual acts of change we will commence the accretion of a
burgeoning collectivist voice. We intend to serve communities in
the East San Francisco Bay Area, beginning with UC Berkeley
students and gradually expanding our reach to the surrounding
communities.

1.1. In this pamphlet

The goal of this pamphlet is to dive into the details regarding
the organizational and content structure of Cooking with Scraps,
as proof of concept for the feasibility of its implementation. This
pamphlet does not reflect our market analysis nor does it intend to
act as proof of our products viability in the marketplace. Rather,
we seek to present a prototype for Cooking with Scraps by
presenting actual candidate materials for our course. In the actual
implementation of this course these materials will be made
available in the form of a course website featuring active links to
videos, articles, and miscellaneous content rather than receiving
this reader in print format. While this print based format is best
suited for presentation to course stakeholders we have decided on

4
the web-based scheme for final implementation in order to avoid the
incurrence of copyright fees and liabilities.

1.2. The problem of food waste

According to the National Resource Defense Council food
production in the United States consumes 10% of the total U.S.
energy budget, occupies 50% of U.S. land, and composes 80% of total
U.S. freshwater consumption.1 Approximately 40% of the food
produced, or $165 billion annually, ends up first in dumpsters and
eventually in landfills which produce 20% of annual U.S. methane
emissions.2
Food waste in the United States stems from issues at every stage
in our nations current food production, distribution, and
consumption systems. Farmers will intentionally leave their food
products unharvested for fear of depressing prices through a
flooded market. While small farmers can conveniently unload their
products at local farmers markets and conventional distribution
chains are readily accessible to farms on the larger end of the
spectrum, medium sized farms routinely deal with food waste that
results from their inequitable market access.3 Farmers are
additionally forced to scrap so-called ugly produce that they
cannot sell through the majority of our current distribution
streams due to overly stringent aesthetic standards imposed by
consumers and supermarkets.
At the distributor level, supermarkets and restaurants are the
culprit producers of food waste. Grocers routinely overstock their
shelves for fear of running out of a particular product and in

Dana Gunders, Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food

from Farm to Fork to Landfill, National Resource Defense Council, August
2012, https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/wasted-food-IP.pdf.
2
Ibid.
3
Nadia Barhoum, Food Justice & Community Health in Richmond: CommunityCampus Partnerships for a Healthier and More Equitable Food System, Haas
Institute For A Fair And Inclusive Society, 2016,
http://haasinstitute.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/haas_institute_richmond
_food_policy_publish_0.pdf.
1

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response to some interesting quirks of consumer psychology. Grocery
store owners have found that consumers dont want to buy the last
apple, but will buy even more than they need when confronted with
an overstocked display case.4 Additionally, grocers may find it more
economically sustainable for their business bottom line to throw
away any excess produce than to sell it at a reduced price for fear
that the promise of reduced price goods will undercut the sale of
the full priced product. Restaurants contribute to food waste in
response to similar economic concerns, kitchen habits, and leftover
waste generated by non-optimal portion practices.
Though the exact causes of waste at the consumer level are
difficult to pinpoint short of observing consumers in their own
homes the fact that it is a problem is evidenced by our garbage
cans and landfills. Some contributing factors to waste at the
consumer level include confusion over under-regulated sell-by
dates, lack of awareness surrounding the food waste problem, poor
or wasteful cooking skills and habits, over buying, and under
planning. The infographic shown in figure 1 concisely summarizes
the percentage of food that is wasted at each step in the food
supply chain.

Jeff Noven (Cooperative Grocery Store Director), interview by Jessica Nuez

& Elisha Hernandez, July 2016.
4

Figure 1: An
infographic
depiction of
the amount of
food from
various food
categories
wasted at
each stage in
the supply
chain. Amount
represented
as the
percentage of
the total
quantity of
food in a food category that initially entered each stage of the
supply chain. Source: Food and Agriculture Organization 2011.

1.3. Course goals

See Introduction (1), and Key Learning Outcomes in Syllabus
(1.4).

1.4. Syllabus
Below we have provided a preliminary syllabus for the
initial offering Cooking with Scraps as a DeCal course at the
University of California Berkeley. Modifications of the format
such as the elimination of grades and greater flexibility in
course trajectory will be incorporated into future versions of
the course.
Reducing Food Waste: Cooking with Scraps

7
Facilitators: Jessica Nuez, Cozmo Nakamura, Christina Son, Kevin
Hsu, Muhammad Asyraf, Elisha Hernandez
Key Learning Outcomes

Students will be knowledgeable on the strategies necessary

to reduce their individual food waste and have the capability to

implement new, creative solutions.

Students will have practice and confidence in their meal

planning, purchasing, and preparation skills.

Students will have an understanding of the environmental,

economic, and social effects of food waste.

Students will be knowledgeable on the attitudes, beliefs,

and practices that contribute to the problem of food waste at

individual, community, and institutional levels.
Logistics
The class will be limited to 32 persons per section and will meet
for 1.5 hours each week for 10 weeks. Students will be put into
pairs and each week 1 or 2 pairs will bring in food from a recipe
they cooked at home in order to present and share with the class.
There are at least 3 suggested recipes per week for pairs to
prepare 1 of their choice at home for their weekly assignment.
The weekly assignments and presentations can come from the
suggested recipes but individual recipes and/or modifications are
also encouraged. Students are expected to purchase or otherwise
have access to their own ingredients and cooking supplies.
Methods of Instruction
Presentations: The first 10-20 minutes of each class will consist
in presentations and food samples from one or two pairs. Each
pair will bring in food from a recipe they cooked at home and
related to the weeks topic. The pair will talk about their
recipe, their experience, and the relationship to food waste.
Students in the class will fill out notecards to provide feedback
to the presenters. The cards will be turned in to the facilitator
for attendance purposes and then given to the presenting pairs.

8
Discussion: The next 30 minutes of class will be a forum for
students to discuss their weekly assignment. Students can share
recipes, talk about their experiences, and discuss problems and
innovations related to the recipes and their relationship to food
waste.
Lecture: The remainder of the class will be devoted to a lecture
on the food waste topic of the week. We will cover different
strategies for reducing food waste at the personal level. We will
also strive to provide context and motivation for the weekly
topic through the provision of historical, cultural, social, and
economic background. The lecture may include videos and case
studies about innovations in cooking and food consumption as it
relates to food waste. Guest speakers including food waste
researchers, chefs, and non-profit workers may also feature in
some lectures as well.
Readings and Videos: Short reading assignments or videos will be
assigned each week to be completed by the following weeks
lecture in order to provide students with context and guidance in
preparing their weekly assignments and presentations.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend every lecture with a maximum of
one unexcused absence. Any more unexcused absences will result in
a NP for the course. Absences may be excused by notifying the
course facilitator and providing them with a valid reason for
your inability to attend class at least 24 hours in advance.
Students with an excused absence are still expected to complete
their weekly assignment and submit proof of completion by the
following week.
Grade Evaluation
Weekly Assignment: Each week student pairs are expected to cook
at home one of the provided recipes or an alternative recipe
related to the weekly topic. Students are expected to come with
at least 2 photos of their cooking process (i.e. 1 of prepared
ingredients, 1 after its done cooking), although more photos are

9
always welcome. In addition to the photos students are expected
to write a 1 paragraph or longer reflection on their process,
what they might change, and ideas for future recipes or food
waste reduction innovations related to the weekly topic.
Presentations: Every week 1 or 2 pairs will present what they
have done in their weekly assignment and bring in samples of
their food to share with the class. Students not presenting are
required to fill out a notecard providing comments, suggestions,
or any general feedback to the presenters and these cards will
also be used for attendance tracking purposes.
Project: The project will be composed of each students
collection of recipes and reflections from their weekly
assignments. Students are expected to maintain these in a journal
along with their thoughts and reflections on class presentations,
lectures, food waste, and innovative food waste reduction
strategies.
Potluck: Students and facilitators will collaborate on and
develop a potluck theme for the final day of class. Each pair as
well as the course facilitators will be expected to contribute to
and attend the final class celebration.
Grade Breakdown: At least 70% of the point total must be attained
for a grade of P on a P/NP basis.
Weekly Assignment

80

Presentations

40

Presentation Feedback/

40

Attendance
Project

40

Potluck

50

Total

250

Weekly Topics
1. Info Session

10
2. Reducing Food Waste: Restaurant Leftovers
3. Reducing Food Waste: Household Leftovers
4. Reducing Food Waste: Canning and Jamming
5. Reducing Food Waste: Drying and Pickling
6. Reducing Food Waste: Nose-to-Tail
7. Reducing Food Waste: Root-to-Stalk
8. Reducing Food Waste: Snacking Past the Sell-By
9. Reducing Food Waste: Planning and Prepping
10. Class Potluck

2. Weekly Breakdown
The following section contains preliminary base of content,
discussion, and lecture topics for each weekly session as described in
the syllabus. This will include web links, suggested readings, at
least 1 recipe per weekly topic though at least 3 will be made
available to students in the official course as described in the
syllabus (which the students are not constrained to choosing from if
they desire to choose their own recipes), and bulleted topic lists or
short paragraphs for lecture/discussion development. Assigned readings
should be completed prior to that days class with the exception of
the first session so that students will have some background before
jumping in and preparing their weekly assignments.

2.1. Info Session

Topics Covered:
The info session course is the only session which does not
include recipes because there will not have been a pre-assigned
cooking assignment. However, during lecture some representative
recipes of Scrap cooking, such those of the Nose-to-Tail or Rootto-Stalk variety may be presented in lecture. This class serves the
purpose of introducing students to the objectives of the course and
for gathering student feedback about specific topics, recipes, or
styles of cooking they might want to cover during the series. This
session will also allow the facilitator to uncover the baseline level

11
of cooking and food waste knowledge possessed by students in the
class.
Readings:
i.

Nadia Barhoum of the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive

Societys report, Food Justice & Community Health in
Richmond: Community Campus Partnerships for a Healthier and
More Equitable Food System. This reading will serve to
connect students to the food waste problem on a more personal
level as part of the UC Berkeley and East Bay communities.
The report cover is depicted in figure 2 and the report
itself can be accessed at:
haasinstitute.berkeley.edu/richmondfoodpolicy

ii.

The National Resource Defense Councils 2012 issue paper,

Wasted: How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food
from Farm to Fork to Landfill. This reading will provide
students with an extensive background on the food waste issue
at all levels and serve to motivate the content of the
course. The report cover is depicted in figure 3 and the
report itself can be accessed at:
https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/wasted-food-IP.pdf6

5
6

Ibid. Barhoum.
Ibid. Gunders.

12
Figure 2. Food Justice &
Community Health in
Richmond: Community Campus
Partnerships for a
Healthier and More
Equitable Food System

Figure 3. Wasted:
How America is
Losing Up to 40
Percent of Its
Food from Farm to
Fork to Landfill

13

2.2. Restaurant Leftovers

Topics Covered:
This weeks lessons focuses on food waste generated in the food
service industry and the development of novel ways to use that food
which would otherwise be wasted. We explore some start-ups,
restaurants, and applications that serve to reduce food waste
generated by the restaurants themselves in addition to a sampling of
recipes and ideas for reducing restaurant food waste on the consumer
end. We will additionally present basic cooking skills as necessary
and in response to the cooking skills assessment from the previous
class session.
Readings:
i.

End Food Waste Nows blog post on food waste in the restaurant
and food service industry will serve to give students a general
background on food waste statistics and practices in this sector.
This post can be reached at the following web address:
www.endfoodwastenow.org/index.php/issues/issues-restaurants7

ii.

The wasted experiment at NYCs famous Blue Hill restaurant was a

novel attempt at creating creative solutions to food waste in the
food service industry. Students will read and explore the
following website as a case study and as inspiration for the
generation of their own novel ideas for reducing food waste:
www.wastedny.com8

Recipes:
Restaurant Leftover Handpies

Restaurants, End Food Waste Now, accessed August 2016,

www.endfoodwastenow.org/index.php/issues/issues-restaurants
8
Wasted, wastED New York, accessed August 2016, www.wastedny.com
7

14
Img
Source:
iStock

This recipe is made from 1.5 to 2 cups of restaurant leftovers

such as chicken tikka masala, saucy noodles, fried rice, or anything
soft, mushy or spoon edible. Students are encouraged to be creative
with the filling for this recipe and use their own real leftovers.
Students can search a basic biscuit dough recipe of their choice or
use canned / pre-made dough if desired. To complete this recipe
students only need follow the following steps once they have chosen
their filling and selected or prepared their dough:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat leftovers in a
microwaveable bowl or via stove top, whichever is preferable. Roll
flat five 6-inch rounds from the dough and place about 1/3 cup of
leftovers onto each round. Fold dough in half over filling and using a
fork, press to seal. Place biscuits on a lightly oiled cooking sheet
and bake for 10-15 minutes.

2.3. Household Leftovers

Topics Covered:
This weeks lesson focuses on the individual and household
contributions to food waste. We will review some of the causes that
lead individuals and households to waste food such as cooking

15
practices, planning skills, and purchasing habits. We will also cover
some basic strategies to manage those factors. Finally we will discuss
creative ways of using food that is about to go bad or that
individuals might throw away otherwise. We will continue teaching
basic cooking skills as relevant and necessary.
Readings:
i.

One reading for this week might include a radio transcript from
NPRs The Salt, To End Food Waste, Change Needs to Begin At
Home. This article captures the essence of household food waste
in a non-threatening manner. The purpose of this is to gently
make students aware of their own part in creating food waste
while inspiring them with ideas for change. The transcript to
this broadcast can be reached at the following web address:
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/11/17/364172105/to-endfood-waste-change-needs-to-begin-at-home9

Recipes:
Stale Bread Salad Panzanella10
Img Source: www.tuscanrecipes.com

The following recipe serves 4-6:

To End Food Waste, Change Needs To Begin At Home, Narrated by Grant

Gerlock, Morning Edition, NPR, November 17, 2014,
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/11/17/364172105/to-end-food-wastechange-needs-to-begin-at-home.
10
Panzanella, Tuscan Recipes, accessed August 2016,
http://www.tuscanrecipes.com/recipes/panzanella.html.
9

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Ingredients:
2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, very finely minced
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces with your hands
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar, plus more as
needed
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 slices thick stale country style Italian bread, torn into bite-size
pieces (sourdough is also good but not something you use here in
Italy)
Directions:
In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic and basil.
Drizzle with the 1/2 cup olive oil and the 3 tbsp vinegar, season with
salt and pepper and toss well.
Place half of the bread in a wide, shallow bowl. If the bread is quite
stale and dry, you should first spoon a few tbsp of water over the
bread and let it soak some of the water up, then with your hands
squeeze all of the water out and place bread in a different bowl
before proceeding. If it isn't too stale or didn't have any, then you
can skip this step.
Spoon half of the tomato mixture over the bread. Layer the remaining
bread on top and then the remaining tomato mixture. Cover and
refrigerate for at least one hour or until serving time. Just before
serving, toss the salad and adjust the seasonings with salt and
pepper. At this point the bread should have absorbed the water from
the tomatoes and be all moist. If the bread seems dry for some reason,
add a little bit of olive oil and toss well. Serve immediately.

2.4. Canning & Jamming

Topics Covered:

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This weeks lesson focuses on teaching the specific skills of
canning and food preservation with an emphasis on how these kitchen
skills can help reduce individual food waste. We will also provide
some historical background and detail various types of canning,
preservation, and jam making.
Readings:
i.

Slates Sara Dickermans article11 Can it: At-home preserving is

ridiculously trendy, provides students with a brief history and
overview of canning along with some light hearted poking at food
trends in Berkeley, CA. This article provides a nice background
to spark students interest in the subject of canning and can be
reached at the following web address:
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2010/03/can_it.html

ii.

New to Canning? Start Here: Boiling Water Bath Canning from staff
writer Marisa12 at foodinjars walks students through the canning
process

and

can

be

reached

at

the

following

web

address:

http://foodinjars.com/2013/07/new-to-canning-start-here-boilingwater-bath-canning/
Recipes:
Honey Sweetened Jam

Sara Dickerman, Can it: At-home preserving is ridiculously trendy, Slate,

accessed August 2016,
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2010/03/can_it.html.
12
New to Canning? Start Here: Boiling Water Bath Canning, Food in Jars,
accessed August 2016, http://foodinjars.com/2013/07/new-to-canning-starthere-boiling-water-bath-canning/.
11

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Img Source:

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/06/26/blueberry-jam-honeysweetened/
Ingredients:
Approximately 1.5 lbs. of your favorite fruit (mix and match as
desired, try using up something which might go bad or uneaten
otherwise)
8 oz. or about 2/3 cup honey
Juice from of a lemon
Directions:
Cut up and mash fruit in a mixing bowl or large pan. Add honey and
lemon juice and stir until well mixed. Let sit for a few minutes until
honey or sugar is dissolved. Place contents in a pan and place pan on
stove, bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling allow it to
continue cooking for 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly. If canning,
follow the instructions provided in the weekly readings in order to
safely preserve your jam. If you plan on consuming your jam within the
next week, it is okay to pour the contents directly into an unprepared
jar and allow it to cool prior to placing it in the refrigerator.

2.5. Drying & Pickling

Topics Covered:

19
This weeks topic expands on the previous weeks topic of food
preservation except with an emphasis on the drying and pickling
processes and their relationship to reducing food waste. Similarly, we
will provide historical background and teach the necessary techniques
for various applications of home drying, pickling, and charcuterie.
For those unfamiliar with the term, Figure 4 depicts a typical
charcuterie board.
Figure 4. An
example
charcuterie
board
composed of
smoked,
dried,
cured, and
otherwise
preserved
meats. Img
source:

peasantcheese.com
Readings:
i.

The Kansas Historical Societys article on food preservation13

provides a brief history on food preservation and can be accessed
at the following address: https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/foodpreservation/17877

ii.

Obsessed With Everythings article14, Charcuterie Study Guide: A

Meat-by-Meat Breakdown offers an overview of various types of
charcuterie and can be reached at the following web address:

Food Preservation, Kansas Historical Society, accessed August 2016,

https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/food-preservation/17877.
14
Brooke Newberry, Charcuterie Study Guide: A Meat-by-Meat Breakdown,
OBSEV, accessed August 2016, http://www.obsev.com/food/charcuterie-studyguide-meat-meat-breakdown.html.
13

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http://www.obsev.com/food/charcuterie-study-guide-meat-meatbreakdown.html

Recipes:
Lemony Quick Pickled Cauliflower15
Img Source:
www.seriouseats.com

Ingredients:
2 pounds cauliflower
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 small lemon, sliced
1 large garlic clove, sliced
1/4 teaspoon peppercorns
Directions:
1. Wash cauliflower and break it into florets. Cut stem into small,
floret sized chunks.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the apple cider vinegar, water and sea
salt. Bring to a boil.
Marisa McClellan, Lemony Pickled Cauliflower Recipe, Serious Eats,
accessed August 2016, http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/12/lemonypickled-cauliflower.html.
15

21
3. Place two slices of lemon in the bottom of a quart jar and top with
garlic clove slices and peppercorns. Set aside.
4. When brine is boiling, add cauliflower to the pot. Stir until the
brine returns to a boil and remove from heat.
5. Using tongs, pack cauliflower into the prepared jar and top with
brine.
6. Place 2-3 slices of lemon on top of the cauliflower and put a lid
on the jar.
7. Let pickles sit out on counter until cool. Once theyve reached
room temperature, refrigerate jar.
8. Pickles are ready to eat within 12 hours, though they will continue
to deepen in flavor the longer the rest.

2.6. Nose-to-Tail
Topics Covered:
This weeks lesson covers the food trend and cooking style known
as Nose-to-Tail eating. We will discuss the growing movement, some
chefs and restaurants paving the way, and provide students with basic
knowledge, skills, and resources so that they can embrace the practice
in their own diets.
Readings:
i.

Freelance food and travel writer Scott Bridges blog post16,

Nose-to-Tail: The Whole Animal Movement, briefly explains the
nose-to-tail movement and provides a plethora of examples of
restaurants and chefs that are embracing the movement. The
article can be found at the following web address:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-bridges/nosetotail-the-wholeanim_b_1659318.html

Recipes:

Scott Bridges, Nose-to-Tail: The Whole Animal Movement, The Huffington

Post, accessed August 2016, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scottbridges/nosetotail-the-whole-anim_b_1659318.html.
16

22
Tacos de Lengua17

Img source: seriouseats.com

Ingredients
1.5 lbs. cow or veal tongue (may substitute pork or lamb tongue)
1 medium onion, split in half
2 bay leaves
1 quart low sodium homemade or store-bought chicken stock
6 stems cilantro
1 small carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons duck fat, pork fat, or canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 to 24 corn tortillas
Optional Garnish of salsa, queso fresco or feta, shopped onions and
cilantro, lime wedges, tomatillo sauce, guacamole
Directions
1. Place tongue, onion, bay leaves, carrot, and garlic in a saucepan
just big enough to hold them. Add chicken broth until mostly covered
(you may not need all of it, depending on how big your pot is). Bring
to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, cover with a tightfitting lid, and cook until completely tender, four to six hours

Chichi Wang, Tacos de Lengua Recipe, Serious Eats, accessed August 2016,
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/04/tacos-de-lengua-recipe.html
17

23
depending on the size of the tongue, adding extra water as necessary
to keep the tongue mostly submerged.
2. Carefully remove tongue to a cutting board. Strain stock and
discard solids, reserving liquid for another use. Peel the outer
membrane off the tongue and discard. Roughly chop tongue into 1/2-inch
pieces. Tongue can be prepared up through this step up to 5 days in
advance. Store in an airtight container or zipper-lock bag in the
fridge.
3. When ready to serve, heat oil or lard in a large non-stick or cast
iron skillet set over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add tongue
pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until tongue is well browned
on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes total. Season to taste with salt and
pepper.
4. To serve, wrap a spoonful or two of tongue in a double layer of
corn tortillas. Top as desired.

2.7. Root-to-Stalk
Topics Covered:
This weeks lesson covers another growing food trend, Root-toStalk cooking, which takes the principles of nose-to-tail and applies
them to utilizing all parts of fruits and vegetables. Similarly to
last weeks lecture, we will discuss the movement, the trendsetters,
and equip students with the skills and knowledge to embrace the
practice in their own kitchens.
Readings:
i.

Jane Black of The Wall Street Journals article18, Vegetable

Scraps Go Haute: How to Cook Root to Stalk introduces readers to
the root to stalk practice and provides introductory examples of
vegetable waste and resources to reduce it in the kitchen. The

Jane Black, Vegetable Scraps Go Haute: How to Cook Root to Stalk, The
Wall Street Journal, accessed August 2016,
http://www.wsj.com/articles/vegetable-scraps-go-haute-how-to-cook-root-tostalk-1432315168.
18

24
article can be found at the following web address:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/vegetable-scraps-go-haute-how-tocook-root-to-stalk-1432315168
ii.

Sarah Henry of KQED Foods article19, Tara Duggan Talks Root to

Stalk Cooking and Tips on The Art of Using the Whole Vegetable
provides more details and recipes on root to stalk cooking from
Bay Area food writer Tara Duggan. This article can be accessed at
the following web address:
http://ww2.kqed.org/bayareabites/2013/09/06/tara-duggan-talksroot-to-stalk-cooking-recipes-and-tips-on-the-art-of-using-thewhole-vegetable/

Recipes:
Maple Roasted Dutch Carrots with Garlicky Carrot Top Hummus20

Sarah Henry, Tara Duggan Talks Root to Stalk Cooking and Tips on The Art
of Using the Whole Vegetable, KQED, accessed August 2016,
http://ww2.kqed.org/bayareabites/2013/09/06/tara-duggan-talks-root-to-stalkcooking-recipes-and-tips-on-the-art-of-using-the-whole-vegetable/.
20
Sneh Roy, Maple Roasted Dutch Carrots with Garlicky Carrot Top Hummus,
Cook Republic, accessed August 2016, http://www.cookrepublic.com/mapleroasted-dutch-carrots-with-garlicky-carrot-top-hummus-nose-to-tail-veggies/.
19

25
Img Source: cookrepublic.com

Ingredients
For carrots
2 bunches Dutch carrots, tops trimmed (about 16)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
teaspoon sea salt flakes
1 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
For hummus
150g Dutch carrot top greens
3 large garlic cloves
1 (400g) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons tahini
juice of small lemon
teaspoon sea salt flakes

26
1 teaspoon ground cumin
70ml olive oil (mild flavor)
To serve
handful of hazelnuts, toasted
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
freshly ground black pepper
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
a tablespoon of chopped carrot greens
Directions
Wash carrots thoroughly. In a large bowl, combine carrots with olive
oil, cinnamon, salt, maple syrup and balsamic. Mix well. Pre-heat oven
to 180C convection/ 170C fan-forced. Line a rimmed baking tray with
baking paper. Place carrots on prepared tray. Bake in pre-heated oven
for approximately 30 minutes until carrots are just tender and
starting to brown. Remove from oven.
Wash the carrot greens thoroughly. Many bunches often have residual
dirt and sandy particles. I give my greens a quick soak in a large
basin filled with cold water and a tablespoon of white vinegar. I then
rinse them several times to remove the grime. This is essential
because if the grime isn't removed, your hummus can be gritty.
Place washed carrot greens and all other hummus ingredients in a food
processor and process to a smooth consistency.
To serve, spread hummus on a large platter. Top with baked carrots and
hazelnuts. Sprinkle sesame seeds, black pepper and chopped carrot
greens. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

2.8. Snacking Past the Sell-By

Topics Covered:
This weeks lesson focuses on the issues and politics of the
sell-by date. We discuss the safety, economics, and policy that go
into these over-stated and under-regulated stamps and stickers. We
then touch on counterculture movements such as dumpster diving which
seek to reduce the waste generated by grocery store practices in
relation to sell-by dates. Finally we teach and equip students with

27
the tools to inspect their food for safety, salvage the nutritious
food that remains, and use it creatively in their kitchens.
Readings:
i.

Emily Broad Leib, Director of the Harvard Law School Food Law and
Policy Clinic, in collaboration with the National Resources
Defense Council crafted an excellent report21, The Dating Game:
How Confusing Food Date Labels Lead to Food Waste in America,
which tracks the history of the food labeling system in America.
She expounds on the pitfalls of the current system in regards to
food waste generation and the roles of industry and government in
perpetuating wasteful practices. This report can be accessed at
the following web address:
http://blogs.harvard.edu/foodpolicyinitiative/files/2013/09/datin
g-game-report.pdf

ii.

Maximus Thaler of The Gleaners Kitchen offers a look into

Americas dumpsters and strategies for utilizing that waste for
the betterment of self and society. More about this
counterculture can be learned at the following website22:
http://www.thegleanerskitchen.org/

Recipes:
Overripe Fruit Pancakes

Emily Broad Leib, The Dating Game: How Confusing Food Date Labels Lead to
Food Waste in America, National Resource Defense Council, September 2013,
http://blogs.harvard.edu/foodpolicyinitiative/files/2013/09/dating-gamereport.pdf.
22
The Gleaners Kitchen, The Gleaners Kitchen, accessed August 2016,
http://www.thegleanerskitchen.org/.
21

28
Img Source: Jessica
from our Dumpster
Dining Teams
Kitchen.

Ingredients:
0.5 cup each almond flour and oat flour (or 1 cup flour of your
choice)
1 tsp. baking powder, 1/8 tsp. salt
2 eggs
0.25 cups of your choice of overripe fruit (I used bananas)
0.5 tsp vanilla extract
Coconut oil for pan (just a recommendation, but butter or any oil of
your choice will also work)
Optional garnish: chocolate or carob chips, nut or nut butter, fruit
slices, coconut shreds etc.
Directions:
Combine flours, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Stir in eggs, fruit
puree, and vanilla extract. Heat coconut oil in pan and pour in
quarter cup servings of the batter. Cook each pancake 2 or 3 minutes

29
per side or until golden. Transfer to plate and be creative with your
toppings!

2.9. Planning & Prepping

Topics Covered:
This weeks lesson focuses on meal prepping and planning
strategies that in the long run help individuals to reduce waste, save
money, and make a real commitment to cooking for themselves. This
includes once a week meal prep strategies, planning and organizational
applications, and recipes for preparing and portioning snacks as well
as meals to go.
Readings:
i.

How to Meal Prep: A 5-Step Beginners Guide to get you started

by the Meal Prep Society23 offers an excellent guide for getting
started on a meal prep lifestyle. The guide can be accessed at
the following web address: http://mealprepsociety.com/guides/howto-meal-prep-beginners-guide

Recipes:
Indian Spiced Baked Potato and Egg to go Foil Packets24

How to Meal Prep: A 5-Step Beginners Guide to get you started, The Meal
Prep Society, accessed August 2016, http://mealprepsociety.com/guides/how-tomeal-prep-beginners-guide.
24
Lindsay Cotter, Indian Spiced Baked Potato and Egg Foil Packets {Gluten
Free, Paleo Friendly, Cotter Crunch, accessed August 2016,
http://www.cottercrunch.com/indian-spiced-baked-potatoes-and-egg-foilpackets-gluten-free/.
23

30

Img Source: cottercrunch.com

Ingredients
4 cups of sliced golden yellow potatoes (use sweet potato is paleo)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp minced garlic (dried or fresh)
1/2 tsp curry powder seasoning with turmeric
1/4 tsp sea salt and black pepper each
Foil
4 eggs
optional topping - red pepper/sriracha, etc.
Directions
preheat oven to 400F.
Slice your potatoes and toss them with olive oil and your seasonings.
Place about 1 cup of potatoes in a 8x8 or 9x9 piece of foil (packet or
cupped).
Repeat until you get 4 packets. Place packets on baking tray or
straight on oven rack for about 25 -30 minutes until potatoes are
tender but not fully cooked.
Remove tray and place and crack an egg on top of each foil pack.

31
place back in oven for about 10 minutes or until yolks look firm but
not overcooked.
Remove and garnish with any extra spices.
Place on plate or bowls and enjoy!
Great with avocado or ranch added.
Feel free to pack in more veggies when you cook your potatoes. Super
easy and fun!

2.10. Potluck
Topics Covered:
This final course section will not present any new topics but
will rather feature a class potluck resulting from the past 10 weeks
of planning. Students will collaborate on potluck themes and each
prepare a dish to share with the class utilizing the principles and
skills that they have obtained over the course of the lecture series.
Readings:
None
Recipes:
Students will collaborate on the creation of themes and recipes
for this weeks session.

3. Additional Resources
This section will feature additional resources for making an
impact towards reducing food waste. These resources will not
necessarily be directed towards cooking based solutions but will
instead feature a variety of options for becoming involved. Examples
include links to non-profits seeking to reduce food waste, books and
articles relating to all facets of food waste, and information on food
supply chains (i.e. grocers, distributers, restaurants, farmers, etc.)
that are seeking to reduce their contribution to the problem of food
waste on the social, environmental, and economic levels.
Businesses in the east bay community will be of specific
interest, including Imperfect Produce, the East Bay chapter of Food
Not Bombs, local CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), composting

32
resources, and Berkeley Bowls leftover 99 cent expired produce bag
section.
We will additionally offer contact information in order to
facilitate connections between students and other educational
resources such as university, internship, adult, or community based
courses on agroecology, cooking, composting, and a plethora of related
environmental causes.

4. Acknowledgements
The Dumpster Dining team would like to thank Mark Martin, Aimee
Goncalves, and Brian Salazar of the Summer 2016 Mechanical Engineering
110: Product Development teaching team for offering us support,
guidance, and structure towards the implementation of this course.
We would additionally like to thank Nadia Barhoum of the Global
Justice Program at the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society
and Sam Lubow, the Environmental Initiatives Coordinator at Cal
Dining, for offering us their insights into the functionality, flaws,
and drivers of our current overarching food systems.

5. Bibliography
Barhoum, Nadia. Food Justice & Community Health in Richmond:
Community-Campus Partnerships for a Healthier and More
Equitable Food System. Haas Institute For A Fair And
Inclusive Society, 2016.
http://haasinstitute.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/haas_
institute_richmond_food_policy_publish_0.pdf.
Black, Jane. Vegetable Scraps Go Haute: How to Cook Root to
Stalk. The Wall Street Journal. accessed August 2016.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/vegetable-scraps-go-haute-howto-cook-root-to-stalk-1432315168.
Bridges, Scott. Nose-to-Tail: The Whole Animal Movement. The
Huffington Post. accessed August 2016.

33
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-bridges/nosetotail-thewhole-anim_b_1659318.html.
Cotter, Lindsay. Indian Spiced Baked Potato and Egg Foil Packets
{Gluten Free, Paleo Friendly}. Cotter Crunch. accessed
August 2016. http://www.cottercrunch.com/indian-spicedbaked-potatoes-and-egg-foil-packets-gluten-free/.
Dickerman, Sara. Can it: At-home preserving is ridiculously
trendy. Slate. accessed August 2016.
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2010/03/can_it.html
Food Preservation. Kansas Historical Society. accessed August
2016. https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/foodpreservation/17877.
Gunders, Dana. Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of
Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill. National Resource
Defense Council, August 2012.
https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/wasted-foodIP.pdf.
Henry, Sarah. Tara Duggan Talks Root to Stalk Cooking and Tips
on The Art of Using the Whole Vegetable. KQED. accessed
August 2016.
http://ww2.kqed.org/bayareabites/2013/09/06/tara-duggantalks-root-to-stalk-cooking-recipes-and-tips-on-the-art-ofusing-the-whole-vegetable/.
How to Meal Prep: A 5-Step Beginners Guide to get you started.
The Meal Prep Society. accessed August 2016.
http://mealprepsociety.com/guides/how-to-meal-prepbeginners-guide.
Leib, Emily Broad. The Dating Game: How Confusing Food Date
Labels Lead to Food Waste in America. National Resource
Defense Council. September 2013.

34
http://blogs.harvard.edu/foodpolicyinitiative/files/2013/09
/dating-game-report.pdf.
McClellan, Marisa. Lemony Pickled Cauliflower Recipe. Serious
Eats. accessed August 2016.
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/12/lemony-pickledcauliflower.html.
Newberry, Brooke. Charcuterie Study Guide: A Meat-by-Meat
Breakdown. OBSEV. accessed August 2016.
http://www.obsev.com/food/charcuterie-study-guide-meatmeat-breakdown.html.
New to Canning? Start Here: Boiling Water Bath Canning. Food in
Jars. accessed August 2016.
http://foodinjars.com/2013/07/new-to-canning-start-hereboiling-water-bath-canning/.
Noven, Jeff (Cooperative Grocery Store Director). Interview by
Jessica Nuez & Elisha Hernandez. July 2016.
Panzanella. Tuscan Recipes. accessed August 2016.
http://www.tuscanrecipes.com/recipes/panzanella.html.
Restaurants. End Food Waste Now. accessed August 2016.
www.endfoodwastenow.org/index.php/issues/issuesrestaurants.
Roy, Sneh. Maple Roasted Dutch Carrots with Garlicky Carrot Top
Hummus. Cook Republic. accessed August 2016.
http://www.cookrepublic.com/maple-roasted-dutch-carrotswith-garlicky-carrot-top-hummus-nose-to-tail-veggies/.
The Gleaners Kitchen. The Gleaners Kitchen. accessed August
2016. http://www.thegleanerskitchen.org/.
To End Food Waste, Change Needs To Begin At Home. Narrated by
Grant Gerlock. Morning Edition. NPR, November 17, 2014.

35
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/11/17/364172105/to
-end-food-waste-change-needs-to-begin-at-home.
Wang, Chichi. Tacos de Lengua Recipe. Serious Eats. accessed
August 2016.
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/04/tacos-de-lenguarecipe.html.
Wasted. wastED New York. accessed August 2016.
www.wastedny.com.