I have been VERY bad about this in the past. I still have times where I'm throwing food away (would you put a $10 bill in the trash?!?) but I'm much better than I used to be. Making menus is what has really helped me. In the menus I plan for using leftovers another night or for lunch. When I don't do that I throw food away, when I do, my fridge stays pretty clean and I use what I buy.

I also did start limiting what I buy more. I don't buy huge bags of apples or other fruit just because it's on sale if I don't think I will eat them. On the few occassions in the past year when I have bought large quantities, I've really made an effort to eat them.

I agree with other ideas on bananas - buy some ripe and some green, use up in smoothies or banana bread when too ripe. (banana splits with lots of banana and a little ice cream w/ choc. syrup are pretty yummy & healthy too!)

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Better to give your kids the values you have
than the valuables you can't afford.

I seem to have the opposite problem. I hate wasting food so instead of throwing it out, I eat it and then I get bigger. :hurl:

My goal is to buy a little less so I eat a little less. My dh said to me recently, "You know, you are allowed to break banana bunches in half and only buy 2 bananas." I honestly did not know that. Now I try and buy just enough.

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I also freeze the brown bananas for smoothies and banana bread. I stock up on bread and freeze it. I haven't noticed that it tastes bad and no one has complained, so...
I try to plan meals around what foods are "on their way out." With leftovers, I try to use different parts separately so it's not a whole meal of leftovers. Like I'll serve the leftover meat or main dish part but with "new" sides. Or use the rolls or bread part for breakfasts.
Veggies that have gone soft are still okay for soups or stirfrys as long as they aren't moldy or slimy. I do pretty good with not wasting but my lettuce always turns brown. :hurl: I always have good intentions for salads and then don't make them!

I have the same problem with wasting food. My biggest problem is the fruits and veggies that sit on me counter. I just started to write a weekly menu and I got a Foodsaver for x-mas, so hopefully these help. I know bananas can be put in the freezer, but do you take the peel off first?? I also like the ides of cutting up veggies and freezing them for later.

try wrapping it in a paper towel and then place in a large zip lock baggie. My lettuce (green leaf) will last for upwards of 1 week or 10 days.

I find that we do much better with our side by side refrigerator than the top freezer model we had before.

However, I now make sure that I have a shelf in the fridge for leftovers that needs to be used so it doesn't get lost. If I want my DH to eat something than it needs to be at the top (for some reason he never checks out the lower shelves).

I also plan leftover nights so the food will be eaten.

great ideas

great ideas ladies

somethings else I do is when I have produce that needs to be used up I google ingredients and usually come up with a recipe or two to try.

For example, if I have old bread I may google "stale bread recipes" - bad example, but I even do this with weird ingredients I find I've bought that are in the pantry or sauces I've bought.

Erica

I also freeze bananas for smoothies. I buy fresh berries when they are buy 1 get 1 free and freeze them for smoothies.