Saving money on food

@savypat (20216)
United States
January 5, 2009 4:24pm CST
An article I found on how to buy and store fresh food. I throw so much of this away and with even cabbage over a $1.00 a pound I just hate not being able to use all of it. Hope you enjoy this and pass it along. It’s the same story every week. You come home from the grocery store holding bags filled to the brim with fresh groceries, but within a few days they’re wilted and withering and you have to toss them into the compost bin or the trash The unintentional waste is depressing, and so is its financial consequences. The Vegetarian Times estimated a total of 470 pounds of food per year are wasted by American families, costing each family about $600 a year. According to the study, one-fourth of all produce purchased by Americans is thrown away, and the main reason for its waste is that it spoiled too quickly. Although everyone has their own storage methods inside the fridge, it is important to know which foods should be kept apart from each other. Apricots, avocados, bananas, cantaloupes, honeydew melons, kiwis, mangoes, nectarines, papayas, peaches, pears, plums, and tomatoes all produce ethylene, which can cause other fruits to become spotted and soft. Those foods include apples, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, lettuces and other greens, potatoes, summer squash, and watermelons. We put together a guide on how to store a few times that always seem to go bad quickly: • Avocadoes – Keep on a countertop at room temperature. To extend their life, put them in the fridge, unbagged. • Bananas – Keep on a counter, unbagged. Do not keep unripe bananas in a fridge. The cold makes the skin turn brown. • Grapes – Store in a resealable plastic bag in the fridge. • Spinach – Store in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Other tips include: • Keep a sharp eye out for mold, which can spread quickly and contaminate everything near it. • Avoid cutting into your produce for as long as possible, as it begins to spoil as soon as soon as it is pulled apart. • Keep potatoes, onions, winter squash and garlic out of the fridge and in a cool, dark, dry cabinet. • Avoid storing food in an airtight bag. Suffocating produce will speed up its decay. With a few small changes everyone can stop wasting food and start saving money, instead! Pleaase send this along to others who can use the info.
1 person likes this
3 responses
@riyasam (16556)
• India
6 Jan 09
this is again good information.actually,i buy veggies for 2-3times a week ,we have a vegetable vendor coming on a cart daily with fresh vegetables happy mylotting.
1 person likes this
@808nala (640)
• United States
5 Jan 09
Thanks for the wonderful tips. I'll be sure to pass this information along to all my friends and family.
1 person likes this
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
5 Jan 09
Great tips! We always have some kind of produce that turns bad.
1 person likes this