Disclosure: This post on 5 Tips For Wasting Less Produce is sponsored by Rubbermaid® BRILLIANCE alongside SheSpeaks.  Thoughts and opinions 100% our own.

I remember growing up my mom would tell me that I couldn’t waste food because children around the world were starving. I was a kid though, so I haphazardly listened to her then. In college, I remember a friend telling me that while he was deployed in Iraq, he saw children starving and begging for any food they could get. He said it completely changed his mindset about wasting food.  It was something I’ve held on to ever since.  It’s also something that I’m working to instill in my children.

I learned that approximately 1/3 of the food that is produced in the world gets wasted. That statistic to me was appalling.  How do we have hunger in this world, if we are wasting that much food.  It’s mind blowing really. I’ve done my best in ensuring our family wastes as little as possible. For the foods we do have to waste, I try to compost as much as I can back into our garden for the next year. Today, I wanted to share some tips with you about how we work on wasting less.

5 Tips For Saving Money on Produce

1. Only Buy What You Need
   • This probably sounds a bit cliche, but it’s true. I found that when I buy certain foods, they always go back before we end up using them.  Unless it’s something that I’m going to use that day, I know based on my household experience that those produce items will go bad. Every year, for example, I buy a bag of fresh cranberries with hopes of making a homemade dish for the holidays.  Every year I forget. So, I’ve stopped buying them.
   • Likewise, if you know you grocery shop every week, there’s no needed to buy 12 different vegetables for dinner and to buy bulk in each.  Just buy enough to feed your family.
     
2. Watch and Freeze
   • Every 2-3 days, take 2-3 minutes and glance at the produce you have on hand. Take note if you need to use up something sooner than you thought. In the event you won’t be able to use it right away, pop it in the freezer.
   • Almost all vegetables and fruits can be frozen (some need a little more work than others to prep before freezing). One of my favorite things to freeze is bananas.  Besides eating a fresh banana, a frozen banana can be used in anything just the same once thawed back out.
     
3. Use clear containers, like Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE, at eye level
   • Don’t hide your produce in the drawers if you have a tendency to waste food.  Keep them in containers at your eye level so you are more apt to grab them before grabbing anything else.  This also helps to cut down on waste because you see it right in front of you.Use clear, see through containers, like Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE, and store at eye level.
     

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4. Meal Plan!
   • I can’t say this one enough.  It’s one of my favorite things to do.  It saves time, causes less stress, and ensures that you are rotating through the food that you’ve purchased. Grab our simple weekly meal planning printable here!
     
5. Wash and Cut Immediately
   • This tip not only helps me waste less, but helps me eat healthier too.  By having things washed and able to grab immediately, I find myself not grabbing for the chips and candy. Wash and pat dry your fruits and vegetables and store in Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE containers.
   • Tips: If you wash berries of any kind, and you aren’t immediately eating them, you will need to store them in a container with a paper towel to soak up moisture and prevent mold growth.

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