Throwing Away Money

Get the most for your family's food dollar by eliminating food waste. Americans are throwing away their grocery money in a big way! According to a recent article in the the Wall Street Journal*, the average family of four is spending at least $500 a year on food that ends up in the trash. That's a huge impact on our budgets!  

Ways to Reduce or Eliminate Food Waste:

• Plan your meals for the week.
• Shop with a list, and stick to it.
• Purchase only a few days worth of perishable foods, and make sure you eat them before they spoil.
• Store food properly.
• Understand expiration and "sell by" dates.
• Organize your refrigerator and utilize your freezer.
• Make good use of leftovers.

Each of these tips is worthy of its own post, and will get one very soon! Meanwhile, start thinking (if you don't already) that food = money.  It's not enough to get the best price in the grocery store- we have to use all of the food we buy. 

Last week, after being so proud of myself for changing brands of butter beans to save six cents a can, I had to throw away some sour milk and a whole cucumber. My savings were more than canceled out in that transaction. Gotta be more careful... 

*Leftovers: Tasty or Trash by Sarah Nassauer