Tips / Cooking and storing
Wasting less food
Food that gets thrown away is money thrown away. A few habits make a real difference to how much a household wastes.
What to do
- "Eat first" shelf
- Keep a spot in the fridge for food that needs to be used soon.
- Know the dates
- "Best if used by" dates are mostly about quality, not safety, for many foods. Use your senses and safe storage guidance.
- Leftovers within 3 to 4 days
- Refrigerated leftovers are generally best eaten within 3 to 4 days, or frozen sooner.
- Use the scraps
- Vegetable ends can become broth; stale bread can become croutons or breadcrumbs.
Ask yourself
- What did we throw away last week, and why?
- Which foods do we keep overbuying?
Helpful resources
- USDA FoodKeeper app
- Storage times for hundreds of foods.
General information for US households. For food safety, follow FoodSafety.gov and USDA guidance. The Penny Stretcher isn't paid by any store, brand or organization mentioned here.