I really hate to throw out good food, but it happens so often. Leftovers get forgotten in the back of the fridge, produce is bought with good intentions and then not used in time or food is left out too long on the counter. One time, we had to toss a whole bag of frozen food because both my husband and I had thought each other put the food away. Sigh. Minimizing food waste is a good way to reduce the food budget.
Here are some of the ways that my family now minimizes food waste.
Having a Plan
If you buy zucchini for zucchini bread, make sure you actually have a plan for making it? Will you make it on Tuesday morning or Sunday night? Without an idea of when you will get to it, it will just go to waste.
The same goes for that gorgeous eggplant, or bags of greens or the corn that is on sale. In which dishes will you use it? How will it be incorporated into your meal plan for the week?
Buying the Freshest
For the freshest produce, hit the local farmer’s market, which usually carries produce that were just picked that morning. They will naturally last longer than the stuff you buy at the supermarket. With some produce, the more you wash it, the sooner it goes bad, so those “fresh” misters in the store may seem like they are helping your produce, but this effect is probably only temporary.
Use the Most Perishable First
Learn what food goes bad first, and make sure to use in earlier in the week. This not only goes for produce, but also dairy, meat, fish and more. Check dates of pantry items, too and put any close-to-expiring ones on your counter, so you make sure to incorporate them into your meals.
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