With our last child leaving to attend college we have become empty nesters. This has brought about a huge change in my grocery shopping and meal plans! It has caused me to reevaluate how much I purchase and how many leftovers we are able to consume.
According to the National Resources Defense Council 40 percent of food in the US goes to waste. A lot of the household waste is due to over purchasing, food spoilage, and plate waste. About 2/3 of household waste is due to food spoilage from not being used in time, whereas the other 1/3 is caused by people cooking or serving too much. With this in mind here are some suggestions to reduce your food waste and save money.
- Be careful of buying in bulk. Foods have limited shelf life and even thought the price may be much cheaper in a larger quantity, if you end up throwing the excess away the overall cost will be higher.
- Plan your meals before you go to the grocery store using the grocery ad. Then you will know what is on sale and not end up with impulse purchases and you will have the foods you need for the meals you have planned.
- Store foods properly. If your produce was purchased in the refrigerator section of the grocery store it should be refrigerated when you bring it home.
- In the refrigerator store fruits that emit ethylene gas (apples, apricots, cantaloupe, figs, kiwis, melons and plums) away from other fruit and vegetables in a refrigerator drawer. Ethylene gas can contribute to overly quick ripening of other produce when stored together.
- Remember to freeze foods that will not be consumed within a few days. Freeze leftovers in single serving sizes in freezer containers. Then you will have small meals or lunches available to reheat when you want them and you don’t have to eat the same meal for days at a time.
- Use fruits and vegetables in various ways. Besides eating them as side dishes or snacks put extra fruits in smoothies or mash for ice cream syrups or pancake toppings and cut fruit up to make fruit salsa. Roast extra vegetable and add them to stir fry dishes, put in a tortilla or use as pizza toppings. Remember fruits and vegetables can also be frozen. Be sure to blanch vegetables for best quality freezing.
Help reduce your food waste and decrease what you are spending on foods by being a smart consumer.
