Reduce Food Spoilage

You're probably guilty of forgetting about groceries you bought only to open the fridge and find them a shocking shade of brown or green. Unfortunately, food spoilage is a big problem that creates a lot of waste. You can cut back on your waste by storing your food properly, planning to use foods promptly, and preserving your own foods. Not only will you keep your refrigerator a little cleaner, you'll also save yourself some money.

Steps

Storing Your Food

1. Use thermometers in your refrigerator and freezer. To prevent bacteria from growing on your food, set your freezer to 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius). Your refrigerator should be no warmer than 38 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius). Since most refrigerators and freezers don't include an accurate way to adjust temperature, you need to put thermometers in your freezer and refrigerator.
   • Try to be in the habit of checking the temperature inside the refrigerator and freezer every day. The sooner you catch rising temperatures, the sooner you can adjust the temperature and save the food.
2. Remove expired or spoiled food. Sort through your refrigerator and throw out anything that's moldy, spoiled or past its expiration date. Don't forget to check condiments. You should also clean out your cupboards and throw out anything that you won't actually use or has expired.
   • If you're unsure whether or not something is spoiled, look up recommended storage lengths for foods or err on the side of caution and throw it out.
   • Don't forget to clean through your freezer as well, since many foods develop freezer burn (ice crystals on the food) after 6 months or so.
3. Store food in the right parts of your refrigerator. Most people know which foods need to be refrigerated (milk, eggs, yogurt, meat, and some produce). But, not many people realize that certain foods should be stored in certain parts of the refrigerator. For example, the door of your refrigerator is one of the warmer parts of the fridge, so only store your condiments there. To properly store food in your refrigerator:
   • Place milk and dairy products on the top shelf of your refrigerator since this is one of the coldest places.
   • Use the crisper bins correctly. Separate your fruits from the vegetables and place them in their own crisper bins so you can control humidity levels. Vegetables should have higher humidity than fruits.
   • Keep eggs in their carton so they get proper air circulation.
   • Store meat on a tray on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator where the fridge is very cold. The tray will catch any drippings and prevent contamination.
4. Prevent mold growth in the refrigerator. Take the time to wash the shelves of your refrigerator with hot, soapy water at least once a week. This can prevent mold and bacteria from lingering in your fridge. You should also place a clean, absorbent paper towel on the bottom of the refrigerator drawers. You can easily clean up any leaks and the paper towels will absorb any excess moisture.
   • Don't wash your berries and produce before you put them in the refrigerator. This can encourage mold growth. Instead, wash them right before you eat them.
5. Prevent freezer-burn. Always store food in an airtight or vacuum-sealed container if you're planning to freeze it. If you're using plastic wrap, you should also wrap the food in foil to prevent ice crystals (freezer burn) from forming on the food. Label your food and write the date so you can use it before it develops the ice crystals.
   • Meats can be frozen anywhere from 3 months to 1 year. In general, cooked foods, baked goods, and some dairy can be frozen for several months (1 to 4).
6. Set foods on the counter or in the pantry. Learn which foods are stored best in the pantry as opposed to the refrigerator (like tomatoes and potatoes). Store the canned foods in your pantry by the order you bought them. This way, you'll use older food before it expires. It's a good idea to write the date on any foods that don't have a clear expiration.
   • Consider storing food in plastic or glass containers with air-tight seals to prevent food from spoiling. Getting rid of cardboard boxes can also prevent insects and moths from infesting your pantry.
7. Separate some foods to prevent spoilage. Some fruits, such as apples, peaches, and bananas, release ethylene gas as they ripen. This can cause spoilage if too much gas is released. Keep foods that release ethylene gas away from those that don't. Foods that release ethylene include:
   • Fruits: apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, blueberries, cantaloupe, cranberries, figs, honeydew, grapes, mangoes, nectarines, papayas, passion fruit, peaches, pears, persimmons, plums, and prunes
   • Vegetables: green onions, tomatoes

Planning and Making Meals

1. Make a list of the food you have. Write down the food you have in the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. Make a special note of any foods that have to be used quickly. It can also be helpful to write down whether or not you have a lot of one or two foods.
   • For example, you might make a note that you've got several dozen eggs that need to be used or only a small handful of blueberries that need to be eaten.
2. Create a weekly meal plan. Sit down with your schedule for the week and the list of foods you have on hand. Write down meals that use a lot of the ingredients you already have. Not only will this keep you from throwing food out, but you'll also save money at the grocery store.
   • Refer back to your weekly schedule so you can make realistic meals. For example, don't plan to make a fancy time-consuming meal on a night when you'll be running errands or working late.
3. Get creative with meals. You might find that you get stuck in a meal planning rut. When this happens, try to think of types of meals that use up a variety of ingredients. Don't forget to consider trying meals or recipes that you've never made before. You might want to write down these categories of meals and fill them in with the specifics of what you have on hand:
   • Stir fries
   • Salads
   • Pastas
   • Soups
   • Slow-cooker meals
   • Pizza
   • Rice-based meals
4. Make a grocery list and shop. Once you've made your meal plan, write down a list of the ingredients that you'll need to buy. Remember to write down the quantity of the things you need so you buy just what you need and no more. This is especially important if you'll be buying food from the bulk bins.
   • Avoid shopping when hungry so that you don't make impulse buys.
   • You can stay more focused at the grocery store by organizing your list by department. This way, you know exactly what you need from each area and won't buy unnecessary food.
   • Never use or buy canned foods that are rusty, bent, dented, or bulging. These are signs of bacteria-growth.
5. Eat your leftovers. Forty percent of the food made in the U.S. is thrown out. Cut back on your food waste by planning for a "leftover night" where you and your family eat the cooked foods that are already in your fridge. It's a good idea to do this before you go grocery shopping since it will help clean out your fridge.
   • If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers, consider freezing them.
6. Use your food scraps. If you have food that is slightly overripe or starting to go limp, try to use them in new foods. For example, make a smoothie with overripe fruit or use them to make a fruit bread. Or, create stock with the limp vegetables so you can make soup one night.
   • Don't toss that stale bread. You can make bread pudding, cut it into croutons, or process it into breadcrumbs.
7. Learn how to compost your food scraps. If you have space in your yard or have a garden, use the kitchen waste as a compost. You can use uncooked vegetable scraps, fruit peelings, teabags, coffee grounds, eggshells, and small amounts of paper and cardboard. Over time, the compost can give nutrients back to the soil and you won't need to buy expensive fertilizers.
   • If you live in an apartment, freeze the compost and find a local compost drop like a community garden or farmers' market.

Preserving Your Food

1. Dry your food. Consider using an electric dehydrating machine that absorbs moisture. Or, use your oven on a very low heat (around 60 to 70 degrees) to dry food. Since you'll need to quickly remove moisture to prevent bacteria from spoiling the food, choose foods with low moisture content like fruits. You can also use vegetables and meat although they may take more time to dry.
   • You can also use the sun to dry your food although this works best for foods that won't spoil quickly. Try tying up herbs to air dry for a few weeks.
2. Can your fruits, vegetables, and meats. You can use a water bath or pressure cooker to can food. Most people are probably more familiar with the water bath method. To use can with a water bath, sterilize your jars and lids in a pot of simmering water. Fill the jars leaving just a little head space, place the lid on till finger tight, and lower the jars into a pot of water. Bring the water to a boil for about ten minutes. Carefully remove the jars and let them form a vacuum seal as they cool on the counter.
   • If using a pressure cooker, follow the manufacturer's instructions that came with yours. Pressure cookers are recommended for low-acid foods like vegetables and meats while the water bath method works well for high-acid foods like fruits.
3. Pickle produce and meats for added flavor. Pickled foods are also canned in a water bath, but the food is first mixed with a vinegar and salt brine that preserves the food. Usually, you'll also include a mixture of pickling spices that adds flavor as the food is stored. Good foods to pickle include:
   • Cucumbers (pickles)
   • Peppers
   • Lemons
   • Beets
   • Green beans
   • Pork
4. Vacuum seal food. Consider purchasing a vacuum packaging machine to extend the shelf life of some foods. The machine removes the oxygen from food that's in a plastic package which can prevent it from spoiling quickly. Good foods to vacuum seal include crackers, nuts, cereals, and any food that you'll be putting into the freezer.
   • Realize that vacuum sealing is not a form of food preservation since it doesn't destroy any bacteria. Instead, it simply keeps your food fresher for a while.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Choose the Right Food for You
• Stockpile Food
• Select Unbroken Eggs at the Store
• Select Broccoli
• Store Seafood
• Buy Peas in the Pod
• Select Great Tasting Celery and Lettuce
• Vacuum Seal
• Choose the Best Farmer's Market Produce
• Tell if a Pineapple Is Ripe

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