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Misfit FOOD CLUB PROJECT

I created the Misfit Food Club brand as part of my final research project on Food Waste Reduction for my Social Innovation class. A large portion of food waste comes from farms leaving "ugly foods" to rot in the fields because commercial kitchens (in grocery stores, schools, and restaurants) will not accept them. Ugly food is produce that is too large, too small, misshapen, or slightly bruised, but still edible. The goal of the Misfit Food Club brand logo was to take something that concept of ugly food and soften it up a bit. 

 
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MISFIT FOOD CLUB PRODUCE 

To further the waste reduction through ugly food acceptance concept, I pitched Misfit Food Club as an Ugly Food produce stand for the student center on CMU's campus. Students would be able to buy ugly produce at a steep discount from a produce stand inside the CMU student center. Students could also purchase a Misfit Food Club tote bag take home their produce in while simultaneously cutting down on waste created by plastic bags. In addition to the produce stand, all the cafes and grab and go locations on CMU's campus would stock ugly fruit. 

 
Figure 1

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 2

Misfit Food Club Food Relabeling Initiative

Another reason for food waste is confusing food labeling. Often the difference between when a food starts becoming less tasty and when food becomes unsafe for consumption is unclear to consumers. To help educate consumers and reduce the amount of perfectly good food that is thrown away, I created a food label that conveys when to throw food out. Having a clearer label also helps more food make it to food pantries, as many donation centers only accept food that is within 24 hours of the dates printed on the food. The number of days listed next to the "Use or Freeze" indicator would be determined by food manufacturers (since food labels are not regulated by the federal government) and the "discard after" date would be calculated by the consumer and written on the label based on when the food was purchased.  The label seen in Figure 1 is ideal for perishable items that are removed from the packaging before using, like meats and poultry. The label seen in Figure 2 is ideal for perishable items that are not removed from the packaging before using, like yogurt and salad dressing.