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Browse or search the tips below to find simple ways to PLAN, STORE, EAT, and COMPOST to make the most out of your food!
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Expiration Dates
The USDA states that even if the expiration date on your food item has passed, it should still be safe to eat if handled properly until the spoilage is evident.
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Tomatoes
Keep tomatoes tasty by storing them on the counter, vine side down. Transfer them to the refrigerator when fully ripe.
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BASIL
To keep basil full and fresh, trim the stems and place them in a jar with 1-2 inches of water, just like cut flowers. Store them on the counter and away from direct sunlight.
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Avocados
Allow green, unripe avocados to ripen on the counter, then transfer to the refrigerator. Once cut, keep the pit in and rub with lemon or oil to reduce browning.
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Asparagus
Trim the ends of asparagus and place them in a jar or glass with 1-2 inches of water, just like fresh cut flowers. Keep them in the refrigerator.
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Agua Fresca / Melon Sa Malamig
If your fridge is full of summer fruits and salads with little space for another half melon, try making an Agua Fresca or experiment with the Filipino version, "Melon Sa Malamig", or "Cold Melon Drink".
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Ice Cube Sauces
Fridge full of open jars of sauces, cream containers, and other unfinished ingredients you may or may not get to in time?
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Eat the Skin!
We want to honor the full potential in every last bit of mother nature’s bounty—and that includes the skin on produce. Food Shift’s Culinary Director, Chef Jen, recently shared her go-to veggie skin chip recipe!
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Use vegetable scraps to color eggs
Use vegetable scraps like onion skins, outer leaves of purple cabbage and other kitchen items for toxic-free, natural Easter egg dying.
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Carrot Top Salsa Verde
A new spin on the Italian classic, this salsa uses carrot tops. Great with fish or to drizzle on roasted root veggies.
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Pickled Veggies
Got more raw vegetables than you can use? Turn them into a tasty condiment with quick-pickling.
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Veggie Snacks
Place cut carrots and celery in jars filled with water to keep them fresh, crisp and easy to grab for up to a week. Or, bring limp carrots back to life by placing them in ice water until crisp.
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Lettuce
Roll unwashed lettuce in a dry towel, then store in a sealed bag in the refrigerator.
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Citrus Juice Cubes
Citrus nearing its end? Before composting the rinds, save the juice for later by making frozen juice cubes!
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Tub It
Keep a small tub near your cutting board to collect vegetable trimmings, then easily dump into the curbside green bin.
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Regrow from Scraps
Some vegetables and herbs will keep on growing if you give them a chance! Try these fun money-saving and regenerating experiments at home.
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Strawberry Top Vinegar
Add strawberry tops to vinegar to make a delicious infusion for vinaigrettes, marinades and to brighten up vegetables.
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Neat News
Line your compost pail with newspaper or a paper bag to minimize any mess. Dump everything into your green bin.
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supporting community through food
We may not yet be able to gather friends around a shared table, but there are other ways to engage with and support our local communities from home.
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Chef Demo: Prevent food waste and reduce your climate impact
Learn how to prevent food waste at home and reduce your climate impact.
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Introducing Thrifty Thursdays with Food Shift!
StopWaste is thrilled to team up with Food Shift to bring you food waste reduction tips, stories and cooking demonstrations.
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Salad Greens
Give those salad greens space to breathe!
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Long-lasting Produce
Reduce your trips to the grocery store by choosing fresh produce items that naturally keep their quality longer.
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Melons
Melons aren't as hardy as they look. Store them properly to ensure you get the most out of this summer fruit!
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Fresh Herbs
Store cilantro and other fresh herbs just like cut flowers in a jar with 1-2 inches of water and covered with a plastic bag to maintain moisture.
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Fresh Berries
To keep berries fresh, place them on top of a paper towel in a sealed container to absorb excess moisture and reduce chances of molding.
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Citrus Peels
Before composting the peel, consider alternative uses for kitchen and household clean-up.
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Mushrooms
Keep raw mushrooms in a paper bag or porous container in the refrigerator for the longest shelf life.
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Shopping Tips
Reducing food waste starts with smart shopping. Adopt these shopping habits to avoid overbuying at the grocery store.
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Reviving Mac & Cheese
Leftover macaroni and cheese can be transformed into a new tasty meal or side-dish.
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Prep Now, Eat Later
Prepare perishable foods soon after shopping. That makes it easier to whip up meals later in the week, saving time, effort and money.
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Preserved Lemons
A staple in Moroccan cooking, this flavorful condiment is a great way to use up extra lemons.
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Apples
Keep sliced apples from browning by brushing them with lemon juice. You can also put the slices back together and secure with a rubber band to minimize exposure to the air.
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College Campus Food Waste Reduction Tips
Whether eating in the dining hall or in a residence, there are easy things we can all do to reduce how much food we waste.
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Peel It
Don’t forget to remove the produce sticker before composting your peels! These tiny pieces of plastic are a major problem for composting facilities.
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Stuffed Bell Peppers
Put that stale old bread to use by making this simple stuffed pepper side dish.
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Dried Apples
Turn your extra apples into a healthy on-the-go snack by slicing and drying them.
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Bread Crumbs
Save your stale bread and hard heels for later by turning them into bread crumbs.
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Potatoes
Store potatoes with an apple to avoid early sprouting. Keep them away from onions and in a cool, dark place.
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Apple Sauce
Turn your extra apples into a delicious apple sauce that everyone will love!
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Pasta Frittata
Tired of that leftover pasta? Give it a new life by turning it into a pasta frittata.
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Egg Test
Not sure if your eggs are still fresh? If the date has passed, they may still be good to eat.
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End of Summer Tomatoes
Make summer last by preserving end of season tomatoes with these easy techniques.
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Croutons
Save leftover bread from going into the compost bin by turning it into delicious homemade croutons.
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Hearty Greens
Keep hearty, winter greens, such as chard, kale, collards, and bok choy, in a sealed container in the fridge and don't wash until ready to use.
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Fried Rice
Repurpose your leftover rice and clear out your veggie drawer by making a tasty fried rice.
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Frozen Herbs
Don’t let your surplus herbs go to waste! Save them for later by making herb cubes with oil or butter.
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Hardy Herbs
Woody or hardy herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, and chives, should be arranged lengthwise on a damp paper towel, rolled up, and then sealed in a plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator.
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Bread
To keep from drying out, store all types of bread in a breadbox, not the refrigerator.
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Storing and Reheating Pizza
Order too much pizza... again? Here are some simple tips to make it just as good as when you first got it!
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Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic can last up to 3-6 months when stored properly.
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Ginger
Try some of these simple ways to extend the life span of your tasty and healthful ginger.
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Reheating French Fries
Reheat French fries so they stay crispy
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Freezing Spinach
Save your spinach from the compost before it gets mushy by freezing it for later.
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Pears
For the tastiest pears, keep them on the counter until fully ripe, then, transfer them to the refrigerator to extend shelf life.
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Hero Recipes
Need to clear out some space in your fridge and freezer for the upcoming holidays? Get inspired to use up all those lingering bits and leftovers with a Hero Recipe, designed to put them all to good use.
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Apples
Store apples up to 7 days on the counter, then move them to the refrigerator. Keep them away from bananas and avocados as they speed ripening.
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Bananas
To keep bananas from browning quickly, break up the bunch and separate. Don’t store bananas with apples, which speed up ripening.
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Citrus
Refrigerate oranges and other citrus in a bag for up to 3 weeks. Freeze citrus and zest for recipes.
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Portion Size
Don’t get left with loads of leftovers- consult the portion size chart and plan accordingly!
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Cabbage
Cabbage can keep for up to 2 months in your fridge if stored properly!
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Bread Pudding
Turn your stale bread into a delicious dessert.
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Apple Pie
Use those surplus and wrinkled apples to make a simple and tasty apple pie!
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Line It
Line your pail with a bag to keep things even tidier. Just make sure the bag is compostable.
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Carrots
Floppy carrots don't need to go into the compost. Use water to bring them back to life and keep them crunchy.
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Veggie Stock
Keep your veggie scraps and floppy carrots and celery in the freezer to make a flavorful veggie stock in the future.
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Beautiful Soup
Soup is filling, comforting and can be made with almost anything on hand, including veggies on the edge.
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