Having a busy lifestyle while managing your health, family, diet, work, and all of the things—can make it difficult to get the most out of the food found in your fridge. Do you find yourself forgetting about fresh produce just to toss it at the end of the week? With organic, fresh foods like produce, vegetables, and fruit, they won’t last much longer than a week in your fridge if they’re not being eaten. Let’s cut the waste and talk productive ways to make sure you aren’t throwing out more than you’re consuming.
Meal Plan & Prep
When you take off to the grocery store, do you make a list? Making lists of items that you need to purchase will force you to plan out the meals and snacks for the entire week. By meal planning and preparing, you can choose several different meals that include the same items to make sure you’re eating everything you bought.
DIY Meals
From time to time, you will have to throw away food, unfortunately. But—if you can get the timing right and you realize that your organic food is going bad, make a quick DIY meal with the remaining items. I like to make a large pot of soup either in the crockpot or on the stovetop and create a quick meal out of the on-their-way-out items.
Learn Your Limits
Don’t overdo it at the store. Think about the items that frequently make it to the trash and spoil before your family gets to it. Consider buying smaller quantities or omitting the items altogether. Of course, this won’t happen overnight, but by identifying themes in what is being tossed versus the items that quickly get gobbled up, you will acquire a better understanding of what your family likes and doesn’t.
Overall, it can seem challenging to make sure you’re eliminating food waste in your home. But, by creatively using the same ingredients to make several different meals, you can get the most flavor out of your items without fear of throwing away fresh food.
Looking for specific tips on ways to preserve fresh food that is almost spoiled? Check out my blog post for additional notes on ways to best preserve what’s found in your fridge.