How to Waste Less and Save #5

#5 - As tempting as it may be to dump leftovers on night two or three, challenge yourself to get creative.  Use extra meatballs and sauce to make personal pizzas with veggies.  Toss leftover rice and pasta into soup.  Add veggie scraps when making chicken stock - or throw all your produce odds and ends together for a stir-fry.

COMMENT:  When my kids were young I kept a gallon plastic jar in my freezer.  Every night I would put my leftovers in the jar and when it was full I would thaw, add liquid if needed, and make some of the best soup you'll ever eat.  I added everything from spaghetti to cube steak to chili and of course all of my leftover veggies.  Only one time did this not work and that was when I had leftover turnips.  Not so good in a soup, at least not for me.  And of course you wouldn't add salad as a leftover.

How to Waste Less and Save #4

#4 - As you plan weekly meals, try to come up with several uses for produce and bulk items.  For instance, you can enjoy bell peppers as a snack, stuffed with ground meat or in an omelet.

COMMENT:  This is something I do with some foods without even giving it a second thought.  The deli where I shop has rotisserie chicken and baked chicken for $4.99.  I buy the it with 2 things in mind - my salads and making chicken salad.  I pull the meat off the bones putting about half of it in a container to add to my daily salads and the other I chop up small and make my chicken salad.  The flavor from the rotisserie and the seasonings added to the baked make both dishes tasty.  I think I need to use my imagination a bit more to come up with more multitask ingredients.

One more thing I want to point out is my method of keeping lettuce longer.  Whether it be romaine or head lettuce, I wrap it up in paper towels before placing it in the refrigerator.  The paper towels keep the moisture down and prevents it from spoiling as quickly.

How to Waste Less and Save #3

#3 - It may sound counter-intuitive to shop more often, but by making frequent trips to the supermarket you can buy smaller quantities and prevent spoilage.  If you don't want to add another errand to your to-do list, consider ordering online.

COMMENT:  I've tried this one and have to say that my freezer, as well as my pantry is full.  This simply doesn't work for me.  Every time I go to the grocery store, even for just one or two items, I end up checking out the meats to see what's on sale.  I walk through the store, again checking to see what's on sale.  I've tried a shopping list but I have this problem with passing up a sale.  So for me it's best to go less often.  As for shopping on line, I'm actually getting into that just a little.  I've found that I can buy non-perishable items such as paper products and even items like coffee on-line cheaper and I don't even have to enter a store and spot all those 'sale items.'  So this is one that you'll have to ask yourself if it will fit your shopping personality.

How to Waste Less and Save #2

#2 - If a recipe calls for spinach but you have kale in the fridge, make the swap.  You can also sub in pears for apples in a fruit crumble; leftover fish for chicken or beef in tacos; and fresh oregano for basil or thyme in a sauce.  Recipes are not set in stone!

COMMENT:  This is exactly what I 'preach' in my cookbooks - Think With Your Taste Buds.  I take it a step further by saying if you don't like an item substitute it for something you do like.  So, if your recipe calls for asparagus but you don't like asparagus and never buy it but do have some broccoli that needs to be used, 'think with your taste buds'.  They will tell you if the recipe will work in your own taste favor or should I say flavor.  If I have chicken that needs to be cooked I frequently go through the Pork section of cookbooks to come up with a new recipe and taste.  Seldom has this practice failed me.

How to Waste Less and Save #1

I found these tips in Woman's Day by Nutrition Expert Joy Bauer, RDN.  They are all worth sharing.

#1 - Keep foods that spoil relatively fast, such as dairy products and soft fruit, in the front of your fridge or on the counter so you are more likely to grab them.  If there are cans of unexpired soup in your cupboard that you know you won't use in time, donate them to a local food pantry.

COMMENTS:  I try to make myself clean out the refrigerator at least twice a month.  Yes, I find food items in the back of the shelf that I apparently pushed back after a trip to the grocery store.  There have been cucumbers that have gotten soft because they were at the back of the crisper drawer.  Milk that was hiding behind a jug of grape juice or vice versa.  So, for me, moving them to the front and keeping them there just might be my answer.  And to save even more money, I now try to go through my pantry shelves at least twice a month, checking the dates of my foods and moving those that expire 1st to the front.