People turning would be trash into edible treasure

Abby Steele prides herself on running a sustainable kitchen.

"It does drive me crazy when I see people throwing away food," said Steele.

Why Steele buys food, she eats it, even items some might consider scraps. Most fruit leaves and veggies make it into smoothies, but she also uses things like carrot tops to spruce up her pesto.

When avocados are past their prime Steele blends them with chocolate to make a mousse. Nutritionists say that is not all you can do with the nutrient-packed produce.

"When you have avocado and it's about to go bad or there's brown spots in it, you can actually take the avocado and use it in recipes, even your brownies. You won't notice the color difference there," said Rebecca Scritchfield, nutritionist.

Kiwi rinds can make a great meat tenderizer and there are numerous uses for used coffee grounds-- they can fertilize plants, absorb food odors in the fridge. Mixed with coconut oil, coffee grounds make for a fantastic facial scrub.

"I'm getting more creative with the products that I'm using on my skin," said Steele.

Experts say wasting food is an environmental issue.

"We have more food in landfills than plastic or paper and that contributes to global warming," said Scritchfield.

But it can also hit your wallet-- the average family of four wastes an estimated $1,500 worth of food each year.

For Steele, sustainability just makes sense.

"I'm saving money, and I'm making my food healthier, and I'm having more fun."

If you would like to help reduce food waste, here are a few tips to get started-- experts say first, use what you already have on hand. Make a plan before you go shopping, and only buy what you need.