Buying out-of-season produce
Blueberries in July might sound refreshing, but you’ll pay a premium for them. Shopping with the seasons will not only save you cash, but it’s also likely to taste better too, since what you’re eating has been grown fresh naturally, not in a greenhouse somewhere and shipped across the globe. You can also try preserving summer picks yourself by pickling or canning to last through the off-season.
Had a bad day in the kitchen? We show you how to fix 17 of your most common cooking disasters so you don’t have to throw them away.
Tossing stuff because of the “best by” date
No one wants to risk food poisoning, but the dates on food labels don’t mean what’s inside is no longer safe to consume. According to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, “except for infant formula, dates are not an indicator of the product’s safety.” If the food looks and smells okay and has been handled and stored properly, it’s generally fine to consume.
Not planning ahead
“The overarching theme for people who waste money in the kitchen is they don’t plan ahead,” says Schneider. Having a basic meal plan for the week can help you use up fresh ingredients before they go bad and reuse leftovers from one meal in the next one. It also helps prevent impulse buys at the supermarket, says Bailey. “If you aren’t sure what you are going to eat for dinner and don’t have appropriate ingredients at home, you’re more likely to overspend by making last-minute decisions that aren’t strategic money-wise.”
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Source: RD.com
