I don't always plan meals or have a list when I visit the grocery store. Without one I'll roam the aisles and shop with my eyes.
Bad move.
As a result, my cabinets, freezer, pantry and fridge are often flush with things that I haven't used in several shopping trips. That's one of the surest routes to waste.
Did you know that, on average, an American family of four wastes 122 pounds of food monthly? This information graphic published in a 2008 New York Times article really packs a punch:
By using what you have and not wasting food, not only are you saving money, you're saving the planet. I hadn't considered the methane gas and other impacts of discarded food until writing this post. Having done so, I'm really on a mission.
Another way I've found to curb spending is to put a moratorium on food shopping until I've exhausted what I have on hand. While that sounds intuitive, how many times in a week or month do you shop because you have a taste for something special?
Still counting? Okay, try nipping that in the bud for 30 days. That's right, give yourself 30 days to use everything you already have for meal preparation.
If you're like me, a trip to the store for anything almost always results in one more of something. Staying out of the stores saves in so many ways. Let me count the ways...
Really, give this a try. Make it an adventure-- pairing foods you might not otherwise. Ever eat a breakfast meal at dinner time? Go ham. Break the rules. Remember to raid the spices too!
Use the imaginuity of recipe websites like Supercook. You simply input the ingredients you have on hand and it returns recipes using just those.
To get started, take an inventory of everything you have in your kitchen. Everything. Examine each fridge and freezer shelf. Leave no potato bin unturned or pantry shelf untouched.
You on it?
I'm on it, doggone it!
Another step closer to a fat wallet and skinny waist,
-Zoe
Bad move.
As a result, my cabinets, freezer, pantry and fridge are often flush with things that I haven't used in several shopping trips. That's one of the surest routes to waste.
Did you know that, on average, an American family of four wastes 122 pounds of food monthly? This information graphic published in a 2008 New York Times article really packs a punch:
By using what you have and not wasting food, not only are you saving money, you're saving the planet. I hadn't considered the methane gas and other impacts of discarded food until writing this post. Having done so, I'm really on a mission.
Another way I've found to curb spending is to put a moratorium on food shopping until I've exhausted what I have on hand. While that sounds intuitive, how many times in a week or month do you shop because you have a taste for something special?
Still counting? Okay, try nipping that in the bud for 30 days. That's right, give yourself 30 days to use everything you already have for meal preparation.
If you're like me, a trip to the store for anything almost always results in one more of something. Staying out of the stores saves in so many ways. Let me count the ways...
Really, give this a try. Make it an adventure-- pairing foods you might not otherwise. Ever eat a breakfast meal at dinner time? Go ham. Break the rules. Remember to raid the spices too!
Use the imaginuity of recipe websites like Supercook. You simply input the ingredients you have on hand and it returns recipes using just those.
To get started, take an inventory of everything you have in your kitchen. Everything. Examine each fridge and freezer shelf. Leave no potato bin unturned or pantry shelf untouched.
You on it?
I'm on it, doggone it!
Another step closer to a fat wallet and skinny waist,
-Zoe
$$
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