Making your groceries last longer

[Denim Deb]

Found this on the internet and thought I'd share it here.

 

[Wannabefree]

I will definately use the cheese idea, and probably the banana one too. We don't waste a lot of food around here, but these tips will keep my stuff fresher longer. We cut the mold off cheese and make pizza, and freeze the bananas for bread when they begin to go bad. Very little waste, but bananas are my convenience food, and I want them fresh!!

 

[Blaundee]

The vinegar wash for veggies is a great idea! As for the bread and cheese- I store mine in the freezer. We live 2 hours from town, so freeze milk, cheese, lunchmeat, bread, etc. Rarely have fresh veggies that we dont grow!

 

[ylisa7]

Found this on the internet and thought I'd share it here.

Cool...I'm going to try the lettuce in the mason jars.

 

[Marianne]

I'm in the 'nothing goes to waste around here' group. I was shocked when I read their estimate that we waste 20 lbs of food a month. I'd like to say that I don't believe it, but I do have a sorta-friend that has nothing but styrafoam containers in her frig - she says every so often she throws them all away so there's room for more take out.

I don't have any trouble w/ celery going bad and I have never wrapped it in foil (I try to be as paper free as I can), but a friend swears by it. Celery has always lasted a long time for me. Once in a while I'll cut it into smaller pieces to go into a bag or jar with water to crisp up again. You can also dry it in a dehydrator.

I, too, like the vegetable wash.

 

[FarmerChick]

I share with my mom for celery. I only eat it. mom and dad can't finish a whole one so when I visit I bring home 1/2 of her celery.
that way we never waste it.


I hate throwing out food. drives me nutso cause that is money going in the trash bin literally. I make less food now also. cook what is needed. leftovers are not big on the list around my home. so I am just more careful about what I make and what I buy and how much.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

We have a saying around here that "nothing is wasted on the farm". I like to 'cook big.' It saves me time and we don't mind eating a couple of meals with the same ingredients. If we get tired of it - I'm ok feeding it to the dogs or the chickens. I don't feel that it's wasted that way. I know others might not feel the same way.

I don't sell a lot of eggs, even though I collect between 2.5 and 3 dozen a day. Once a week I take the eggs that haven't sold or that we haven't used and I boil them. Then every day the dogs get a couple, but most of those go back to the chickens or pigs (if I have some at that time). It's a good source of protein and it does help on the feed bill. The baby chicks thrive when eggs are a part of their daily diet and pigs think they are candy.

Animals are great at converting leftovers to either food for me, fertilizer, or compost. Simple yet effective.

But, I will be the first to admit that if I didn't have an outlet for the leftovers, I woud feel horrible about throwing it in the trash.

 

[Wannabefree]

fem that's what i do as well, though my animals don't get a whole lot, they do get what we won't consume within reasonable time. I keep a pig at all times, to eat anything the dogs and chickens won't/can't have. It works out well for us. Food recycling is great! If I feed it to the pig, it's turned to bacon eventually, and the chickens it makes eggs, so I don't see it as waste. Even with the dogs, it saves on their food, and they are the farm protection!

Marianne...20 pounds?! Wow! There is no way we waste that much here. I'd have a fit if we had to toss that much food Of course we have had years of practice reusing ingredients, know when to toss in the freezer, know when to haul out the dehydrator, give it to the pig etc. I do know some folks that toss that much probably every week, but certainly not here! We can't afford to throw out that much! Even at a rate of 4 pounds a week, that could be anywhere from $4-16 worth of food in a weeks time, or $18-72 a month....NOT happening!

 

[ORChick]

I figure between good planning, the food dehydrator, the chickens, and the compost pile not much goes to waste here. Dogs would help too, but the cats would object, and they don't see much reason to help in this matter.
Asparagus and herbs will keep for awhile longer if the ends are cut, and then (the ends) put in a container of water, like a bouquet. I usually put a plastic produce bag over them before putting in the fridge to keep the tops from drying out. I keep bread in the freezer, already sliced so only the needed amount gets pulled out. Bananas were a problem until I started dehydrating them. Neither of us particularly like banana bread, and DH doesn't like fresh bananas that have started to get spotty, but he absolutely adores banana chips. I'll have to try the veggie wash, and the lettuce in a jar.

 

[Marianne]

I keep thinking that one day I'll vacuum seal salads in jars. I have the hand held vacuum sealer and there's no shortage of lids here. I just haven't done it.

I first saw it at http://www.salad-in-a-jar.com/how-to-make-salad-in-a-jar-2