These days, it seems the prices of everyday needs keep going up and up. Food is especially high on that list. Throwing away food is equivalent to just plain throwing money in the garbage. With the ever-challenging task of preparing meals on a budget, it should be a priority to figure out ways to avoid waste and therefore save money. Afterall, everyone needs to eat. You don’t have to break the bank to prepare your meals though. There are ways, with a little strategic planning, to save money by avoiding waste. This may take a little effort on your part. At the end of the week or month, however, you will see a difference in the amount you spend versus the amount you waste. Here are 9 ways to achieve saving money by not wasting food.
1) Re-purpose Items
Sometimes, you can’t seem to avoid food spoilage. It’s hard to think of what to do with something fresh, if you hadn’t included it in a meal plan. It may have been an impulse buy, such as buying a whole bushel of tomatoes or apples while passing by the local farm stand. Not to worry. Will a little ingenuity, you can re-purpose and save them for a rainy day. For example, you could roast the tomatoes in the oven with a little olive oil and Italian spices. Then fill containers for freezer storage. Then, down the road, when you decide to make pasta or home-made pizza, simply defrost one of those containers to complete your sauce. Apples are another example. You can cook them with a little cinnamon and make apple sauce. Then place it in some canning jars which will seal tight enough to store them in your pantry.
2) Keep Track of Stock
If you’re the type of person who’s prone to freezing leftovers, that’s a great start. The problem is, most people forget what they’ve stored away in the freezer. Then you go grocery shopping and buy more frozen goods, only to find there’s no room for them when you get home. This leads to throwing out frozen leftovers to make room for new items. To avoid wasting your frozen leftovers, place a label on the container. Write what the meal is and the date you froze it. Then make a list of what you have prepared in frozen meals and place it on the outside of your refrigerator. Generally, frozen meals can last at least 6 months. That is, unless they become freezer burned. So, be sure to use containers and food wraps that are designed to be freezer safe.