Melissa Eads from Kroger gave tips on how to make the most of what you buy at the grocery store, to reduce waste and help fight hunger. Find more ideas for reducing food waste online at www.Kroger.com/topic/Zero-Hunger-Zero-Waste.
10 Ways to Reduce Food Waste
- Plan ahead. Make a meal plan for the week and use it to create your shopping list. That way you’ll buy what you need and help head off waste before it happens.
- Take stock. Shop in your refrigerator and pantry first. Know what you already have before purchasing more – a strategy that will save you money AND reduce waste.
- Be realistic. For staples like condiments, juices and snacks, include realistic quantities on your list, so you don’t overstock and run the risk of them going bad before eaten.
- Mind the dates. Be sure to eat foods with the earlies expiration date first.
- Get creative. Vegetables and fruits that are beginning to wilt may still work perfectly for soups, stocks, smoothies and casserole dishes.
- Store Properly. This means keeping bananas, apples, and tomatoes separate, washing berries and grapes just before you eat them to prevent mold, and keeping fruit and vegetables in different refrigerator drawers.
- Freeze freely. Make your freezer your ally. Consider bagging and freezing extra fruits and veggies, especially during peak seasons. Bread and baked goods freeze well and can be portioned directly out of the freezer to minimize waste. Preserving and canning is another way to stretch your food dollars and reduce waste.
- Cook, then freeze. Prepare and cook your fresh items before freezing, then thaw them as needed for quick meal prep throughout the month.
- Think serving-size. Cut up fruit and vegetables into individual portions to make them more convenient to eat and less likely to go to waste.
- Compost! You can compost everything from uncooked vegetable scraps to fruit peelings, teabags, coffee grounds, eggshells and even small amounts of paper and soft cardboard, and use it to feed your garden.
