Streets & Urban Forestry

Food Scraps

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Image credit: Two Lips Creative

Meal Planning

Meal planning will save you money and save natural resources - the ultimate win-win. Meal planning tips can be found on this page.

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Image credit: Two Lips Creative

Use & Storage

Proper food storage techniques and using what you buy will mean you will not waste the food you purchase (or grow).

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Image credit: Two Lips Creative

Create & Donate

Create new food opportunities:

Donate what's possible to area pantries
And create new dishes with imperfect foods, transform your leftovers, and cook "end-to-stem"

A cartoon character is tossing an apple core over their shoulder into a compost bin. In the background is the word "Scrap"

Image credit: Two Lips Creative

Compost Food Scraps

Dane County Farmer's Market has a free winter food scraps drop-off at their late winter market:
- Dane County Farmer's Market is working with Green Box Compost to provide this service this winter.
- For details, contact the Dane County Farmer's Market or Green Box.
City of Madison Food scraps drop off at neighborhood farmers' markets will return for 2025.
More drop-off opportunities will be available in 2025 throughout Dane County, too, thanks to a USDA grant received by the Dane County Department of Waste & Renewables. More details about this will be forthcoming from Dane County. Stay tuned!
Check with your local community garden to see if a community compost option is available.
Remember, you can compost your food scraps in your own backyard, too.