This is a guest post by Jessica Rouzan, a junior at Downers Grove South High School in Illinois. Jessica is a member of the varsity dance team, the Fillies, and is a contributor to her high school’s newspaper, Blueprint.

National Dessert Day falls on Oct. 14.  A day to celebrate all things yummy, National Dessert Day is a day to appreciate everything delicious, from cakes, to pies, to cookies. However, this day should be spent cautiously. Dessert can be dangerous.

According to the National Resources Defense Council, a wildlife protection agency, a whopping 40% of food in America is tossed in the trash. That’s enough food to feed 25 million Americans.

However, this is an easy problem to combat.  The National Resources Defense Council also has some great tips for keeping the environment safe and enjoying your meals. America can have its cake and eat it too.

When shopping for scrumptious desserts, it is important to keep in mind expiration dates. The National Resources Defense Council says that as long as these dates don’t suggest any danger from food consumption past the “Best By” date, they should be safe to consume.

Additionally, the National Resources Defense Council suggests planning your shopping trip ahead of time, so you don’t go overboard and buy food for the garbage bins.

Purchasing a dessert closer to the “Best By” date and planning ahead may ensure that you and the environment have a happy National Dessert Day.

Nobody is perfect, and if the shopping goes overboard on National Dessert Day, remember to open one box at a time. Non-perishable, un-opened foods may be donated to food-banks, soup-kitchens, and shelters.

If you choose to go out to eat for your dessert, you may keep in mind some other helpful hints for keeping your meal out of the garbage.

One thing you may do is ask for a smaller portion, or split a dessert. Odds are you won’t finish that entire piece of cake yourself, and if you are still hungry you can always opt to buy more.

If smaller portions are not an option, consider leftovers a simple alternative. Just think, if you do not throw out that food, you may be able to celebrate National Dessert Day on Oct. 15 too!

Before you purchase food, think about the environmental impact it will have. Do not let your food go to waste. Give the world a better National Dessert Day.