SAVE $1500 ON GROCERIES!
Tired of throwing away food before you’ve gotten a chance to eat it? No more! Our experts share the easy ways to keep your food fresher longer—saving you an average of $1,500 a year!
1 Don’t toss it! Get creative with “toss-ables”!
Did you know that the leaves on top of your beets and carrots and the stems from a bunch of broccoli are delicious? “Most of us don’t know that we can use almost every part of our produce, so we wind up throwing out a lot of food that’s edible,” says expert Sherri Brooks Vinton. Try steaming those leaves and dressing them with a little vinaigrette. “I boil broccoli stems in about 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock until they’re soft, then add a little garlic, diced onion, fresh thyme and some salt and pepper,” says nutritionist Marisa Moore. “I purée it all in a blender for a savory, nutritious soup!”
Save soon-to-spoil produce!
Tempted to toss that overripe banana, bruised peach or crinklyskinned pepper? Just cut it up, stick it in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer, advises Vinton. “You’ll build up a nice treasure-trove of ingredients that you can use to make smoothies, jams or sauces.” Also, you can roast just about any fruit or vegetable: Toss cut pieces with a little olive oil, place on a cookie sheet and roast at 400°F for 20 to 30 minutes, and you’ll have tender add-ins for salads and sandwiches!
Make over your leftovers!
Start thinking of last night’s leftovers as tonight’s delicious new dinner, advises Vinton. “I save everything that gets left over, even the tiniest bits of food,” she says. “I’ll combine, say, half of one roasted pepper, some leftover sautéed mushrooms, tiny bits of roasted potatoes and a few herbs to make a yummy frittata, omelet or risotto!”
2 Store foods strategically! Separate fruits and veggies!
Nearly half of the fruits and veggies we bring home wind up spoiling and getting thrown out, reveals food waste expert Joanne Berkenkamp. “It’s often because we’re storing them together,” she reveals. “Many hard-skinned fruits and veggies, like bananas, apples and potatoes, give off ethylene gas, which causes more fragile produce, like onions, strawberries and kale, to ripen faster. That means potatoes stored with onions, for example, or bananas placed next to strawberries, will end up rotting quickly. To prevent this, just put some distance between them in your fridge.” Also smart: Line drawers with paper towels to absorb water, ending bacteria buildup. ■ Tip: Store produce in reusable mesh bags, which allow air to circulate!
3 S-t-r-e-t-c-h freshness! Sprinkle spuds with
mint! Want to prolong the life of potatoes? Just add some mint! Keep potatoes in their own brown paper bag, and sprinkle in a drop or two of peppermint or spearmint essential oil. Research shows that a chemical in these oils stops sprouts from growing and keeps potatoes 38% firmer!
Flip your tomatoes!
You can keep juicy tomatoes fresh longer simply by storing them on your countertop… upside down! Storing tomatoes stem- side down prevents moisture from draining out and oxygen from getting in, inhibiting mold growth!
Watch out for water!
If you wash your fruits and veggies before putting them in the fridge or a bowl, don’t skip this essential step: “Dry them off!” says Moore. “Dampness encourages bacterial growth on produce, and the more moisture, the quicker they’ll spoil.”