In addition to rising food prices, food waste is also eating into the American budget. Sometimes shoppers buy more than they need, but many times they don’t store perishable foods properly.
This results in the average American family spending more than $1,800 a year on food alone, according to Penn State University researchers.
Here are some tips on extending the life of food to reduce food waste and save money.
Don’t overfill your fridge
For starters, don’t overcrowd your fridge. See the article : Food IT leaders plan to form a food alliance. When you’re at the grocery store, only buy what you can reasonably expect to fit in your refrigerator without filling it to the gills.
“You don’t want to overcrowd that fridge,” Better Home Nutrition executive vice president Stefani Sassos told CBS Mornings. “You want to leave a little space between the items. That way you let the cold air circulate, keep your food fresh. That really starts at the grocery store, not shopping, just getting what you need. .”
Keep meat in the back
Think about where you store special items in the fridge. Read also : Spain: Food Lines Grow During Pandemic. Keep anything highly perishable in the back of the fridge, where the air is the coldest.
“The back of the fridge is the coldest part, the front of the fridge is the warmest, and the top shelf is warmer than the bottom shelf, so keep that in mind for perishables,” Sassos said. “Anything like meat, dairy products – put that in the back of the fridge.”
Store things like condiments and water bottles that don’t go bad as quickly on the refrigerator door shelves.
Contain food properly
How you store food also makes a big difference. Invest in high quality containers. Read also : Fun in the Sun: Summer Food Security. High-quality plastic containers with tight-fitting lids are the top choice for Sassos.
“They’re very portable, very convenient; that’s great for traveling,” she said.
For storing leftovers, ovenproof glass containers are a good bet, because they can survive in the fridge, freezer and go into the oven at high temperatures.
“The investment in a good platform is worth it,” Sassos said.
Clean out your freezer
At least once a week, take stock of your refrigerator and freezer.
Discard anything that smells funky or has an altered appearance. Of course, look for common signs of damage such as mold.
Freeze food that you otherwise wouldn’t have time to use.
“Your freezer is the ultimate tool for reducing food waste,” Sassos says.
For example, take a ripe banana: peel, slice, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and refrigerate. Once frozen, place in an airtight container in the freezer. Bananas will keep in the refrigerator for days. You can use it as needed in smoothies or baking.
Not everything expired is bad
Expiry dates printed on food and drink containers usually suggest when the item is best used or should be sold. It doesn’t mean the food item is spoiled, although check for signs of spoilage before eating.
“They are very expressive of quality and taste, not necessarily bad,” Sassos said.
