Ever planned a menu?

 If you are anything like me, you absolutely HATE wasting food! After all the effort and time we put into finding great deals and saving money on our grocery bills, it is an absolute travesty when food ends up in the garbage!
 Here are a few ideas that have been working for my family, that have helped significantly reduce our food waste.

1. When trying a new recipe, half the recipe.

I like doing this, so that if the recipe ends up being a dud, I won't have wasted too much food in trying it out.

2. Set Timers!

Ever spent an hour preparing something amazing, only to not set a timer, counting on yourself to watch the clock? It almost never ends well. Walmart has inexpensive kitchen timers on the utensil aisle. 

3. Menus

I like planning what I will make ahead of time, based on the food I have on hand or the food I will be purchasing. When you know what leftover ingredients are in the fridge, all you need to do is Google a recipe containging all or most of them. So many recipes call for half a can of this, or 1/4 a package of that. Don't let the leftovers go to waste! What a fun adventure it is searching online for a new recipe that will incorporate all those odds and ends! And you never know but that you'll end up with a new favorite dinner!

4. Freezer Bags!

If you won't be using it right away, especially if you buy in bulk, find out how to freeze it! I like buying meat in bulk. It is vital that as soon as you get it home, you divide it into smaller portions, bag it, mark it, and freeze it! If you get something out to thaw, you need to use it! My rule is within two days. Having a weekly planned menu will help with this. This isn't just for meat. Frozen veggies, juice concentrate, hashbrown potatoes, etc. They will all go bad if left for too long. Divide and conquer!

ps. use high quality freezer bags!

5. Leftover Night

Pick one or two nights each week that you will pull all the tupperware out of the fridge and either eat it or freeze it!

**Tip: Left over bread, like crusts and the ends that your kids won't eat, are great for making homemade bread crumbs and can then be frozen for later use.

Stale bread can be gathered and saved for use in Meatloaf.**

I would love to hear any other ideas anyone has for wasting less food!