Here’s my forth installment of Grocery Shopping 101. If you’ve missed the first three parts, here they are:
- Grocery Shopping 101: Before You Leave the House
- Grocery Shopping 101: At the Grocery Store (Part 1)
- Grocery Shopping 101: At the Grocery Store (Part 2)
We all know that throwing out food that has gone bad is like throwing away money. So, here are some ways that you can eat a little more carefully at home without wasting your money.
Watch your trash
Start to pay attention to what you throw away. I don’t analyze everything that I toss, but if I’m throwing away old deli meat, for instance, I order 1/2 pound instead of a full pound the next time I am at the grocery store. If I find myself throwing away leftovers, I either cook less or make it a point to eat leftovers for lunch the next day. (Leftovers make a great packed lunch for work!) Once I realize what I am throwing away, I adjust my habits, so I waste less.
Reorganize your refrigerator
Knowing what I have in my refrigerator is the most important aspect of saving money. When I keep it nice and neat, ingredients and leftovers aren’t pushed to the back and forgotten about, so rarely do things go to waste. I make sure to store half-eaten bell peppers or leftover casserole in clear plastic containers right in the front of the refrigerator, so I can easily see what’s inside. Check out my full post about reorganizing your refrigerator.
Remember that imperfect food is still food
When my fresh produce is about to go bad, I use it up in meal instead of just tossing it. Some wilted broccoli or spinach can easily be added to an egg scramble, casserole, soup, or even a smoothie. I also cut bruises and bad spots off my fruits and veggies, and make sure to freeze overripe bananas for future smoothies or banana bread. Of course, it something is moldy, it goes right into the trash! Fresh produce is never wasted in my house!
Freeze it
If I know that I won’t get to my leftovers before they spoil, I pack them up and freeze them– same goes for leftover ingredients like tomato sauce or chicken broth. This way, they won’t got bad in my fridge and later be thrown away.
What are your best tips for not wasting food at home?
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Great tips! I do the same with wilting lettuce, throw it into something else to cover up any slight imperfections!
Great tips! We have 2 freezers so I am always freezing leftovers…and packing them for my hubs lunch! I hate wasting food! sometimes our meals are creative because we use whatever is going bad, but we usually end up with something tasty:)
Nice article and just in time, got to pick up some groceries after work.
I hate throwing away food. I just threw away 2 vine-ripened tomatoes that probably cost me $3! Great tips, Tina!
We freeze everything leftover. I love it for lunches and never have to make a sandwich to go!
Great tips! Keeping leftovers near the front of the fridge is one thing I know I need to work on. It’s such an easy thing to do… No excuses!
I make sure to keep all the good stuff in plain site so I don’t forget that we have it!
I live nice and near a grocery store, so I just buy less knowing that I can get more whenever I need it.
What I’ve learned – It is always better to buy less! It is so easy to fill up a cart at the grocery store. Also, my freezer is my best friend. Like you, fruit, veggies, and any leftovers get packed in there if any chance I won’t get to them before they ‘expire’.
I hate throwing away any food. It makes me feel so guilty. Great tips!
I almost always threw away celery after using just one or two pieces of the stalk. I hate wimpy celery. Storing it completely wrapped in foil helps it last longer. Or you can use Debbie Myer Green Bags (I use those a lot for various fruits and veggies.) Also, I learned that you can submerge the wimpy celery in ice water for a few minutes to crisp it up. I also heard that you can freeze celery, but I haven’t tried that yet. Lastly, if I only need a little celery for a recipe and don’t think I’ll put the entire stalk to use soon, I’ll just buy some from the salad bar. Even though it is more costly by the pound, the little bit I buy doesn’t amount to much overall. The cashier looks at me like I’m nuts for my little “celery salad”, but I don’t mind.
Shopping for two people is sometimes really difficult because of this, so we buy less and plan our eating around what we buy… even when it means cooking instead of ordering that oh-so-delicious pizza on a Friday night when you just don’t feel like cooking at all. If it’s something that can go bad, I just make every effort to make it.
I never put produce in the drawers of the fridge! I always leave it on the shelf so I can remember to use it
When my kids drink milk with their meal, if they don’t finish it I put it right back in the fridge in their cup for the next meal.
Our dog is a food saver
She loves tomatoes and apples and I’m happy to share the “butts” of the tomatoes and the bruised apples with her. One time she came out of our neighbors garden with a face full of tomatoes. It looked like she was wearing a red mouthguard. Whoops!!
Oh and we shop at a farmers market in MA where we can buy ONE of something, like ONE carrot for soup or just two leeks instead of a bundle of an ingredient, plus it’s not wrapped in plastic that you’ll only use for a week and then throw into a landfill. And it’s cheap! Triple word score!