Most people can’t. The ones who can, didn’t get to that point in life by doing so. Yet according to a 2015 report by the Natural Resource Defense Council, American households throw out more than $2,000 worth of food each year. And when you empty out the fridge or the cupboard because food has gone bad or expiration dates have passed, you are essentially throwing out money.
As a professional organizer, one frequent request I get is to help clients prepare for a move. Consequently, cleaning up the fridge and the cupboards is a huge part of that process. Anecdotally speaking, I probably fill four to five trash bags of old food or cans well past the expiration date. And that’s minus the canned goods that are not past the expiration that can be donated to the local food pantry.
According to the most recent EPA study, Americans throw away 35 million tons of food per year. That figure becomes even sadder when you consider 1 in 7 Americans-or 46.5 million people–use food banks (that’s according to Feeding America).
What can you do to reduce waste and prevent your hard-earned money from literally going into the trash? Start by making shopping lists before you go to the store, AND STICK TO IT.
Think about previous impulse buys that required special ingredients. What happened? Nine times out of 10, if you didn’t make that dish right away the food went to waste. So, if you want to make a special dish, make it that night.
Also, before your next shopping trip, take an inventory of the food that’s in the refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Do you see any possible combinations that might make for a different yet tasty meal that might delay your buying more food for a day or two? Be creative and let your mind wander a bit instead of running out to the store for new food. This takes discipline, but really works.
Finally, have a Monday to Sunday menu so when you go shopping you buy for four or five dinners. Assume that leftovers and a pizza night make up the difference for the remaining meals during the week.
We talk about the cost of clutter and a lot of the discussion has to do with quality of life and the mental and emotional benefits. When it comes to the food you buy and store, you have those same benefits but a bottom line one as well. By eating the food you buy, you ARE spending less. Even if you reduced the amount of food you throw out by 50 percent, we are still talking more than $1,000!
Want some help with your declutter? Give me a call at 508-246-6120.
