Americans waste $155 billion in food a year
While at home, I watched a CBS special on how American families waste about $1,200 worth of food a year. I could totally relate. I find myself tossing my salad in a bag sooner than I’d like. I forget about that yogurt in the back of the refrigerator that I bought in bulk and on sale. Unless I cook everyday (which I should), I end up tossing some food. It needs to stop. If I had a son in his teens, I’m sure food waste wouldn’t be a concern. However, I cook for me, and I try to eat healthy. Fresh produce is great…if you eat it before it goes bad. heheh. Trust, I have no plans to become a freegan, but there are ways to stop wasting food!
Some of the tips in the article on how to stop wasting food:
*Avoid buying food in bulk
*Shop on Thursday because you will be around on the weekend to cook. (I agree. I’m an excellent weekend cook. I’m relaxed and creative on the weekends. On Monday nights, not so much)
*Arrange your refrigerator so that the oldest goods are in the front.
What are your tips for not wasting food, especially produce? Do you waste food in your refrigerator? Do you clean your plate? Can busy Americans find ways to not waste produce? How do you cook for a small family and save money? Is it possible?
16 Responses to Americans waste $155 billion in food a year
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I stopped buying fresh produce because some of it would go bad before I got around to cooking it. Now I avoid that problem by buying frozen vegetables instead. In some cases, it’s actually fresher than what is in the produce section (due to travel distance/time).
I also make an effort to ‘clean’ the fridge every few days and eat any leftovers that may be lurking. Of course that makes for some odd meals at times but I don’t mind.
Cooking is almost always cheaper than dining out, even with a small family. As an example, on Sunday, hubby put two steaks and a pack (six breasts) of chicken on the grill. Sunday lunch was chicken sandwiches and chips. Sunday dinner was steak, mashed potatoes and corn (bought frozen). Yesterday’s dinner was chicken breasts, mashed potatoes (leftover) and peas (bought frozen). I took ground beef out of the freezer last night so as not to eat chicken three days in a row. But the remaining two chicken breasts will be eaten tomorrow.
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I think I read the same story not that long ago. It’s amazing the waste we have in our country, and not just from a money standpoint. One day, where there’s no more gas to run the trucks and no more coal to power the fridge and we can’t eat, we’ll wake up and wonder where it all went.
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I’m a single girl too, Ms. Frugalista. But, how do I shop on Thursday, when I’m usually at a Happy Hour? Maybe I should shop Saturday morning. What do you think?
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Ms. Frugalista, I’m a single girl, too. But on Thursday nights I’m either at a Happy Hour or working out. What about Saturdays? Is that a good day to shop, or is it too late. Your other tips were good!
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heh – NEVER buy the 3 pound tray of ground beef. I never go through it as a single gal before it goes bad. Or, have on catastrophy, and miss your window for dividing it up and freezing, and you’ve wasted all that money!
For Elizabeth – more power to you for working out. Go to the grocery as early as you reasonably can Saturday morning, so that things aren’t as picked over as they are by the end of the day.
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Make a weekly menu including snacks then go to the grocery store for those purchases only. Because you are working from a concentrated list you will go to the store less often(saving gas) and waste less food. This also saves time because you know exactly what you’re cooking when you get home from work. No more staring into the fridge and cabinets trying to put something together or having to make impromptu trips to the grocery.
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You can cook for a small family by:(1)Planning your weekly menu.(2)Buying fresh produce that will be used within a couple of days. (3) Prepare most meals on the week-end and put individual servings in quart freezer bags and freeze. (4)On busy work days prepare your meals in a crock pot and freeze leftovers.
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Those are some good tips, but it’s so easy to waste food when you are cooking for one. I always try not to buy anything that I know I will not cook that day if it is perishable. And it makes me feel French! Anyway, I’ve been on a vow of serious frugality myself: http://www.artofbeingbroke.blogspot.com
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I try to make just enough for the nubmer of people eating. If I have left overs, I do my best to eat them the next day. I know that I can be pretty wasteful when it comes to food but I am trying to correct that now by only taking what I really want/need.
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A lot of the meals I cook freeze really well, even some fish dishes. Soups and stews are great and taste even better the 2nd time around(I know it’s kinda hot for some of these meals) I freeze lots of fruit, seeded watermelon chunks and mango slices go right from freezer to blender for cocktails and berries hold up well too.
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I am not surprised by this. We are such a wasteful society. And while this is not the case with me and food (I EAT!!), I’m sure I waste lots of other things.
I actually shop late on Thursdays after I get off work at 11 p.m., but only because I’m off on Fridays and want to sleep as late as possible. I keep a piece of paper in my day planner and make a grocery list throughout the week.
I cook A LOT because I love to cook. It’s my therapy, but it’s also a weird pattern. I’ll cook a portion large enough for two or three days. One dish Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to have something different for lunch and dinner and throw a salad in with each.
Also, if it’s something with chicken, meal salads are always an option. It’s not very common for me to find something going bad in my fridge. I think sticking to list everytime I shop has helped this.
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I always wind up throwing away vegetables. I get to the grocery store and start feeling ambitious about eating lots of healthy dark green leafy stuff. One week later, I’m cleaning rotten spinach juice out of the crisper.
The store is across the street. I try not to buy anything unless I’m cooking the same day.
Raising my glass to Thurs. night happy hour. Cheers!
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Savvy-Dang, girl. You are organized!
$- You are a freegan in training!
Elizabeth-Ohh Happy Hour. Can’t miss that. Saturday morning it is.
GLM- I can’t stand sorry produce. Can’t stand it.
Bellejsta- You are another organized person. I’m seeing a trend I need to become part of.
Senior Diva- Good advice.
Broke Gal-Viva La France, no? heheh
PJD- You are a chef, I see…
Alicia- I’m a big fan of left overs. It’s like the ingredients settle in. Yum.
Vanessa- Will you be my roommate?
Coco- Stop encouraging alcoholism!
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I do the same as GLM! I have a list…without it I’d be eating ho-hos for dinner every night! Not so good when you’re trying to lose weight!
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All I can say is that at times I am guilty of throwing away food because it’s left over or because at times I end up eating before I get home for dinner. This was a great post! I will try to incorporate some of these tips!
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You need to come and see what Grandma has to say if you are interested in saving money and/or pinching pennies. 100′s of ideas on over 80 pages.
savvy