October 3 2018 / LIFE
Stop Wasting Food & Save Money
Hello friends! I’m sure you can relate when I say there is nothing more frustrating after realizing something in your pantry or fridge has gone bad.
I hate that feeling, and I always think back on how much money I wasted!
Fun fact: Did you know that the average American family of four throws out an average of $1,365 to $2,275 worth of food each year? That is crazy! I can think of a lot of things that I’d love to put an extra $1,000 towards, and I’m sure you can too!
I know I don’t know out that much food but I know that I could do better than what I currently am.
Food waste is one thing I think about a lot, if not daily. Overbuying food is also something I think about regularly! I hate throwing food away that has gone bad, whether it's leftovers or something that wilted after I bought it.
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One of the most significant ways to save money is to stop wasting food. How can we avoid wasting food?
In this post, I share eight ideas for making the most out of the food you buy and before you buy it! I’ve focused on reducing food waste and ultimately spending less money! I want to share the tips that have helped me the most when it comes to wasting food.
Learn how to save money on groceries and how to reduce food waste by reading more.
MY 8 BEST TIPS TO STOP WASTING FOOD:
1. Mental Price Tag
I started to mentally count up the cost of the food I was throwing away, and I noticed that it adds up. Whenever you’re throwing away food, take a mental note of the dollar value of what you’re wasting. This helped me think twice before purchasing something in a grocery store!
2. Expiration Dates
This tip may seem like a no-brainer, but often you’ll find varying expiration dates on the same products — foods such as milk, eggs, meats. Grocery stores manage expiration dates to show freshness of foods. They tend to move the newer products to the back of the shelf with the older ones within grabbing distance. If you want the freshest foods, compare the products behind what’s right in front of you and may find fresher ones hidden there.
SAVANNA LEIGH
Hello! My name is Savanna and I am from the Virgin Islands. I love surfing, scuba diving and anything involving the beach. While relaxing, I enjoy blogging <3
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3. Freeze What You Can
If something is getting close to its expiration date, stick it in the freezer. This will help most foods stay fresher for longer. I typically freeze fresh fruits, meats, and certain vegetables to make them stay fresher for longer. I also freeze many meals that have already been cooked. Remember to take the food out of the freezer a half-hour or so before you’re ready to prepare it!
4. Thawing Your Meats
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve personally taken meat out of the freezer, thawed it and then forgot to cook it. After it’s been thawed out, it cannot be re-frozen, and ultimately I have to throw it out. Something that helps me is to get into a habit of taking out only the required meat for that day and putting it in front of other items in the fridge. That way when I come home from a long day, I open the refrigerator and remember my plan for dinner.
5. Storing Your Food
I think one of the biggest tips is knowing proper storage. Correct storage is fundamental when it comes to making food last longer. Here are a few tips! Store your raw meat in the meat drawer apart from cooked food to avoid contamination and to maintain the temperature consistently cold. Dairy items should be put in the back of the fridge and not on the door. Even dry goods don’t last forever. Canned and boxed foods are best kept in a cool, dark pantry away from heat; store things like nuts and whole-wheat flour in the fridge or freezer.
6. Don’t Over-Buy
This is the mistake where I typically waste food! I used to pack my fridge full for a week or two. Honestly, I think it was out of laziness to reduce the times I went to the grocery store. At the end of the week, I would forget about all of the produce I bought and even worse I bought so much that in the time the expiration dates rolled around it was too late. What helped me most in this situation was honestly going to the store more and buying less each time. I have two different grocery stores on my way home so its super easy to pop in and out and get what I need for the next 2-3 days. I cannot tell you how much getting this under control helped me. Not to mention this has made my kitchen more organized by not having as much ‘stuff,’ which I love!
7. Use What You Have
Get creative with your recipes when you have leftover foods! I love Pinterest, and this will and does help me get recipe ideas for cooking foods that are left in my fridge. Make sure to eat all that is in your fridge before going out and buying more!
8. Buy One
I know how the buy one get 50% off is so tempting but trust me when I ask you this.... do you need two? Probably not and so try not to get warped into those deals! It could end up helping you save more in the long run.
I love food, and I know you do too, so why waste it? I hope this helped you in some way. Remember to make smart money saving choices and positive habits. Happy saving. and eating, of course!