Food: Too good to waste

Align your grocery shopping to the reality of your week. Easier said than done, but making a meal plan, then a shopping list, and sticking to it, will both save your wallet from the effects of impulse purchases and your garbage can from spoiled, unused food.

We might have good intentions to cook from scratch every night, but planning to cook two to three larger meals might be more reasonable with our busy schedules. Then we can count on having leftovers other nights, freezing leftovers, and eating some previously frozen meals!

To avoid wasting perishable food, it is often necessary to get creative! Have some staples on hand to help use up these more date-sensitive foods. Use cooking oils, dried herbs, pasta, rice, beans, flour, frozen vegetables or meat with your leftover perishables to make something creative. Example dishes include fried rice, soup, a stir fry, curry, or a shepherd's pie. Using your perishables as a starting point and having these staples in your kitchen will help you be successful in creating a delicious meal while saving money by avoiding food waste.

How well do you know your refrigerator and what it is capable of? It was designed to keep foods at optimal freshness when used correctly. Even in the fridge, heat rises, so keep in mind that the most perishable items, like meat and fish, should be stored on the bottom shelf. Consider placing drinks, snacks, yogurt, and items to eat soon in plain view on a top shelf. As the door is the warmest place, it’s really only meant for condiments, nothing too perishable. Click for a Fruit and Vegetable Storage Guide.

We all know things tend to hide both in our pantry and fridge, so do the best you can to organize, rotate, label, and list contents to see as much as you can and avoid buying or opening yet another container of tomato sauce when you already have several!

To help food last longer, the goal is to stop microbe activity by decreasing moisture, warmth, time to grow, or oxygen. Keep these in mind while organizing your fridge. Use clear containers to store leftovers so they are less easily overlooked. The best ones are glass and stackable, as they can go from fridge to freezer to microwave. Don’t be afraid to rely on your freezer, labeling contents with dates!

Ever wondered about the “sell by,” “use by,” “best before” dates on food packaging? Sometimes we assume that means it’s bad and should be thrown out if it reaches that date. As it turns out, these dates are mere suggestions, are not consistently regulated, and the majority of us misinterpret the dates. Unfortunately, the dates end up seeming arbitrary, but understanding them better will help us waste less food. Manufacturers decide which wording and what date to use based on their own criteria, which might include sales data, lab or taste tests. Except for the higher risk foods, the take home message is that food past its stamped date might not necessarily be spoiled and inedible.