To Avoid Wasting Foods, Print this
page and tape it to your refrigerator.
1) Use post-it
notes. Use up what you have first, before buying more. Post-it notes on your fridge remind you of foods that need
to be eaten and what meal ideas to make
from them. Check your fridge contents and cupboards on a regular basis and use post-it notes to keep you on
track about using everything you have, rather
than always buying more.
2) Put foods in
their right spot in the refrigerator. The basics:
Left side - Carnivorous foods; meats, eggs, dairy:
Right side - Vegetarian foods; grains, seeds,
fruits, nuts and vegetables:
The Door - This is the warmest spot in your
fridge, so don’t put anything perishable there
and do not store eggs in the door, even if your fridge has an egg compartment. And keep condiments highest, drinks,
etc. lowest
Upper Shelves - Temperature there is constant making it the best
spot to store leftovers, dairy products
and greens in the middle shelf.
Bottom Shelf - This is the coldest spot in the fridge,
so avoid putting cucumbers there or
celery as they will often freeze! But It’s a good place for meat, fish, and eggs.
Crisper drawers - Set them to high, medium or low
humidity. Some fruits and vegetables
emit ethylene gas, so they need to go in the low humidity drawer.
Low
Humidity
- Avocados,
- Bananas, ripe
- Bell peppers
- Grapes
- Mushrooms
- Pears
- Squash
Medium
Humidity
- Lemons
- Limes,
- Melons
- Oranges, citrus
- Sweet potatoes
High
Humidity
- Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots,
green onions, hard vegetables (cabbage, etc.)
- Fresh herbs
- Greens, leafy (with additional
protection, such as inside a plastic bag)
3) At the end of the week, use up what you’ve
got before buying anything else.
If you shop on Saturday, use up
everything on Thursday and Friday. The fridge works
best when it’s nearly empty and then gets filled with fresh stuff.
