You know this feeling: the end of the week has arrived and you begin your grocery list again. As you look through the fridge, the sadness and guilt set in. How could you have forgotten about that bunch of Swiss chard from the farmer's market? The leftovers from the incredible dinner you made days ago sit sadly stale near the back. Has the milk turned already? What are we doing wrong?
We've never met anyone who cooks their own meals and does their own shopping that doesn't experience this particular depression every once in a while. But, if you find yourself tossing the same amount of food every week, it's probably time to take stock of what you need and don't. Health and fitness blog Greatist has 29 amazingly simple tips to help you start reducing your food waste. First and foremost, keep a log of the food you're throwing away for a whole week.
Monitor what you throw away. Designate a week in which you write down everything you throw out on a regular basis. Tossing half a loaf of bread each week? Maybe it’s time to start freezing half that loaf the moment you buy it so it doesn’t go stale before you’re able to eat it.
We both love this idea and are terrified to find out what kinds of things we habitually buy without using. Here's another of our favorite tips:
Preserve produce. Produce doesn’t have to be tossed just because it’s reaching the end of its peak. Soft fruit can be used in smoothies; wilting vegetables can be used in soups, etc. And both wilting fruits and veggies can be turned into delicious, nutritious juice.
Click over to Greatist for lots more tips and start saving yourself some money!
[h/t Lifehacker]
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