Food wasted is money wasted
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EmailWhen you throw away food you are throwing your hard earned dollars in the garbage.
Throwing out food is the same as throwing out money. None of us want to do that! Michigan State University Extension offers 10 easy tips that can save you from wasting your food and your money.
- Use a grocery list. Keep a grocery list where it’s easily accessible, such as on the fridge or on your phone and remember to take it with you to the grocery store. Stick to your list for added savings, but stay flexible if you encounter a sale.
- Pay attention to what is going in your garbage. Avoid tossing foods as a priority. We lose money whenever we toss food because it spoiled before we got around to eating it. Be sure to use food before it spoils.
- Do not shop when hungry. Everything looks good on an empty stomach. Eating before going shopping helps stop those impulse buys and it can save calories.
- Pack your lunch. If you normally eat out at noon, consider packing your lunch at least one day a week. Plan to make extra food at night and take left overs to work the next day. A peanut butter sandwich with whole wheat bread and a piece of whole fruit is an easy nutritious lunch.
- Try new foods carefully. Before trying a new food, buy the smallest size of package. If your family doesn’t like the food, you won’t be stuck with a big box of it.
- Convenience foods cost more. How much time do you really save when you buy a convenience food? You will generally save money by cutting fruits and veggies yourself. Plus, the precut ones won’t keep as long.
- Stock up. Invest in staple foods when they’re on sale. Buying a boatload of bananas, and other perishable foods, isn’t a very good long-term investment unless you are going to freeze them for banana bread or banana cake. Stock up on staple items such as reduced-price canned tuna, tomato sauce or mandarin oranges but always remember to check expiration dates.
- Check out the store brands. Store brands are comparable in nutrition to name brands. And, taste-wise, there may be little difference. Store brands and lower-priced brands tend to be positioned on the top and bottom shelves. The national brands are more likely to be on the middle shelves.
- Snacks can be good and bad. Enjoy chips, cookies, candy, etc. in very limited amounts. You’ll save money and may lose unwanted pounds at the same time!
- Watch for store specials. Plan your menus around sale items, especially more expensive purchases, such as meat.
Food waste is something we all need to be more aware of and especially when you realize that food wasted is money wasted.
