Food waste isn’t just about throwing away good food. It’s also about overbuying foods we don’t need and wasting money in the process. Before you head to the store, take inventory of everything in your pantry. Then write down the pantry staples you ran out of, and buy those at the store. Use up your leftovers and create homemade freezer meals to eat throughout the week. Here are more ways to make food last longer and cut waste.
Store Food Correctly
This is one of the best ways to make food last longer. Never leave meats, eggs, raw fish, fruits, and vegetables on the counter no more than an hour. This also includes restaurant meals or desserts you bring home. Refrigerators should be set to 40 degrees or lower to keep the food fresh. If you’re marinating food, place the food in the refrigerator. Refrigerated foods must be sealed with lids or in sealed storage bags. You don’t always have to toss out foods by the expiration dates listed on the package. If it still smells fresh enough to eat, continue to use it unless the food is long past its expiration date and is spoiled.
Turn Almost Expired Produce Into Soup
If you have expired produce in your refrigerator, make a vegetable soup with it. Soups are healthy, and you can add cooked meats to them to use up what you have. One idea is to add leftover turkey breast or chicken slices to the soup along with egg noodles. Or you can use leftover beef stew meat to make vegetable beef soup.
Only Buy What You’ll Use in Bulk
We’re encouraged to buy in bulk to save money, but we’re not saving money if we buy things we don’t use in bulk. It’s best to only buy what you use regularly in bulk. If you use lemons a lot for homemade drinks and other recipes, it makes sense to buy them in bulk. But if you only use canned salmon occasionally, then buy a small number of those.
Organize Your Refrigerator
Another way to make food last longer and cut waste is to organize your refrigerator. After you take everything out of your refrigerator, toss out all expired and spoiled foods. Then, organize your remaining foods and label the storage drawers and bins. On the top shelf of the refrigerator, place foods that don’t need to be cooked, such as ready-to-eat foods. This is because the top shelf is the warmest part of the refrigerator.
Put condiments in the door of the refrigerator. The middle shelf usually has a moderate temperature, so store eggs and other dairy products here. You can also store cold cuts and salads on the middle shelf. On the bottom shelf, store raw meats, fish, and poultry. The refrigerator drawers can store fresh produce.
Serve Smaller Portions
We live in a super-sized world, and sometimes we serve larger-than-normal portions of food. The problem comes when we don’t eat all the food on our plates, and it goes to waste. Serve smaller portions of food, and your food will last longer during the week.
Freeze, Not Refrigerate Bread
If you’re using bread within the next few days or weeks, store it in an airtight bread box. But if you won’t use the bread for months, it’s best to freeze it instead of refrigerating it. When baked bread sits in the refrigerator, the starch molecules re-crystallize and give off water. This is what makes the bread stale when refrigerated. The bread also becomes dull and hard when refrigerated. However, it’s fine to freeze bread.
Make Smoothies With Leftover Fruits
If you have leftover fruits, turn them into delicious smoothies. To make a berry banana smoothie, mix these ingredients in a blender:
- Two cups of diced bananas
- One cup of berries
- Three teaspoons of honey
- A third cup of plain Greek yogurt
- A fourth cup of milk
Turn Chicken, Beef, and Fish Bones Into Broth
Don’t throw away your beef, fish, and chicken bones. Turn them into homemade broths. Buy some airtight containers and then prepare different types of broth to put in them. This saves you money on stocks and broths that would cost you more at the supermarket.
Prepare Meals Everyone Will Eat
While there’s nothing wrong with experimenting and making adventurous meals, it’s a waste of food and money if no one eats them. Have a list of affordable meals that everyone will eat, and fix these throughout the week. Take the leftovers and freeze them for later, or create new meals out of them.
Shop Strategically at the Store
You can cut food waste by shopping smarter at the store. One idea is to buy frozen produce. Frozen produce is often cheaper than fresh produce, and you don’t have to worry about it spoiling easily unlike fresh produce. When you buy meats on sale, only buy the ones you’ll eat frequently. You can also buy them in bulk, cook them and turn them into freezer meals. Online grocery delivery is another good way to reduce waste because you don’t have the temptation of all the varieties of food before your eyes. It can encourage you to buy less.
Turn Leftovers Into School Lunches
Suppose you made baked turkey breasts with veggies and pasta last night. If you have extra turkey breasts, turn them into creative school lunches. Some ideas for repurposing turkey breasts include:
- Turkey and cheese sandwiches
- Turkey quesadillas
- Mini pizzas with turkey pieces, cheese, and tomato sauce
- Turkey sloppy joes
Adopting mindful habits in your kitchen is a practical and rewarding choice. Every smart shopping decision, every creative use of leftovers, and every thoughtful storage choice directly helps you save money and enjoy fresher, more delicious food. By incorporating these simple yet impactful practices into your daily routine, you’re not just nurturing your household; you’re building a more efficient and satisfying approach to your meals every day.