Reduce Food Waste

Most people throw away too much food. If you think about it– it’s a double loss. First, you buy the food. Then you throw it away. Now you buy more. 

You need to learn to stop wasting money on food and use it before it goes bad, or we didn’t take the appropriate action to prevent throwing the food away (think leftovers). 

There are many things we can do to stop wasting money on food. You can buy in bulk and save money.

You can also use a meal planner to schedule meals. You will know what you need when you go grocery shopping. So you will only buy enough of an item. 

Reducing food waste is an excellent way to save more money.  

Let’s get started. 

Reduce Food Waste

1. Take Inventory.

Before shopping, know what you have in your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. This will prevent food waste by buying something you don’t need or too much of something. At the same time, if you need something, you will know it. 

2. Meal Planning

Meal planning is a great way to reduce food waste. Using a meal planner, you control what is prepared and how much is cooked. 

If there’s a dish people like, then don’t fix it. 

If you make a meal and some gets eaten, but some don’t, either make less or use the leftovers for another meal. 

3. Eat Leftovers Safely.

Leftovers are a blessing, but you still need to exercise some caution. 

Don’t leave leftovers sitting out in the ambient temperature. There’s a right way to store everything. Generally speaking, cover the portions and put them in the refrigerator. 

Leftovers not eaten within three days should be stored in the freezer. When you keep food in the freezer, wrap them, so they are less prone to freezer burn, and label the packages, so you know what’s in the containers and the date frozen.

4. Store Food Appropriately.

A common complaint about produce is it spoils easily and quickly. To reduce food waste, buy only what you can use before it goes bad. You can do some things to extend the life of some produce. 

• Store greens in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel in the bag in the crisper drawer. 
• Store tomatoes and bananas on the counter.
• Potatoes and onions in a cool dark place
• Fresh herbs in a glass of water. 

5. Compost

Composting will not save you money on groceries, but it’s a frugal practice. Vegetable peels and uneaten produce don’t need to go to the landfill. Compost it for your garden. 

6. Use leftovers creatively.

Find ways to prevent throwing food away. One standard method is to use the uneaten portion for tomorrow’s lunch. 

Some items make good stews and soups. Leftover meats, vegetables, pasta, rice. You can make a tasty soup or stew using a low-sodium broth. 

Conclusion 

There are many ways to reduce food waste. I’ve given you six ways to use unused food and to prevent throwing it out. By throwing away less food, your grocery bill should be less.