How much of the groceries that you buy do you throw away? If you are like the average American, then you probably toss out 40 percent of the food you buy! Yes, 40 percent was the finding of a 2013 study, and that is a total of $165 billion in food waste for America. No one likes to throw away expensive groceries, with a few tips and misconceptions debunked you can maximize the shelf life of your food and minimize waste.
USE BY DATE: Why are we throwing away so much food? Oftentimes people confuse the 'use by date' to determine if the food is still safe to eat. According to experts these dates are used for inventory control by retailers, not for assuming the food is spoiled. Always smell and examine food. Throw away anything that changes in appearance, flavor or smells bad.
PLUNDERED PRODUCE: Fresh fruits and vegetables seem to spoil so quickly, but some have a longer shelf live than others.
Here are few fruit and veggie favorites that are long lasting when stored in the refrigerator:
1. Apples can last 3-4 weeks (vs. 1 to 3 days at room temperature)
2. Carrots keep 2-3 weeks in a plastic bag in the crisper
3. Oranges last 2-3 weeks (vs. 1 week at room temperature)
4. Celery wrapped tightly in aluminum foil can keep for 2-3 weeks
Get familiar with food shelf life, expiration dates and food storage to save money and eat healthy!
"Fish is the only food that is considered spoiled once it smells like what it is." P.J. O’Rourke