Washington residents throw away nearly 200,000 tons of edible food each year. This is food that could feed your family or help with hunger relief. Learn how to use food well in your home. There are simple ways to reduce your household's food waste and feed your wallet instead.
Ways to Use Food Well
Make small changes in the way you shop for, prepare and store your food. Try one or more of these tips to save money and food before it's wasted.
Shop with Meals in Mind
Reducing the amount of excess food you buy has the biggest impact on cost savings and the potential for food waste.
Plan your meals
Make a weekly meal plan. Keep a running list of meals that your household enjoys.
Shop at home first
Check your fridge, freezer, and pantry for any ingredients you already have before you go shopping.
Stick to your plan
Use a shopping list phone app or use this smart shopping list of what you need for your meal plan. Include quantities so you buy only what you need. Avoid large containers of produce unless you know you have plans to eat it all.
Prep Now, Eat Later
Set yourself up for success at eating what you purchased. Prepare perishable foods soon after shopping. That makes it easier to whip up meals later in the week, saving time and effort.
Prep ahead
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Wash, chop, peel, cook, or portion ingredients for your weekly meals and snacks when you get home from the store or on a free day. Store prepped food in clear containers and place them near the front of your fridge.
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Prepare and cook perishable items, then freeze them for use throughout the month. For example, bake and freeze chicken breasts or fry and freeze taco meat.
Use your freezer
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Befriend your freezer and visit it often. Freeze food such as bread, sliced fruit, or meat that you know you won’t be able to eat in time.
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Keep of list of what is in your freezer on the outside of the fridge. Include the date you froze each item. Cross out items as you use them.
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Use containers with good seals or thick plastic bags to prevent freezer burns.
Label and date all containers to help you use food before it's spoiled.
Keep it Fresh
The average American household wastes nearly $1,600 each year in produce. Your household doesn't have to be one of them.
Learn how to store your favorite foods
Print this handy fruit and vegetable storage guide (pdf) to learn where to store the produce you buy and keep it fresher longer.
Use the Still Tasty Shelf Life Guide or Save the Food storage guide to learn the best way to store your favorite foods.
Keep it separated
As some fruits ripen, they give off a gas that causes other produce to ripen quickly and go bad. Store fruits like ripe bananas, avocados, apples, and tomatos away from other produce. Store veggies and fruit in separate fridge drawers.
Eat What You Buy
Designate an “eat soon” area in your fridge by moving food that's likely to spoil soon to the front of a shelf. Print and attach an Eat Me First label to the chosen shelf, on a shoebox or other container to corral food that needs to be eaten soon.
