Food Waste is a cause-du-jour, and for good reason. Up to 40% of the food produced in the U.S. is wasted or lost. Considering how constrained are our resources like fresh water, topsoil, and clean air, that is an excess we cannot afford.

Waste and loss at the production and processing levels seem daunting to the average consumer, but we CAN make a difference starting in our own kitchens. 

This idea was championed 200 years ago by a determined young leader who was not afraid to take a stand against social mores that she saw as harmful.

Lydia Maria Child 1802-1880

Lydia Maria Child wrote one of the first American household handbooks -- The Frugal Housewife: Dedicated to Those Who Are Not Ashamed of Domestic Economy. Published in 1829, it went through 33 printings and was popular throughout the 19th century.