Household food waste comes from not eating up food we purchased in time. Simple storage changes can get your hard earned $ back into your wallet.

Separate Gassy Produce

• Certain fruits and vegetables give off natural gases that cause other products to ripen and spoil faster. Bananas, apples and tomatoes are a few of these gassy fruits that should be stored separately.
• Place your potatoes separate from onions in a cool dark place to prevent sprouting. Don't fret if you see small sprouts or "eyes", they can be easily trimmed or peeled. For potatoes showing a little green, simply remove the green layer. However, if your potato has more than a few small green spots, it's time to put them in the compost to avoid dangerous toxins.

Ripen on Counter, Store in Fridge

• Eat your fruits at their peak! If you can’t get to them once they are ripe, designate a “eat first” (clear) container and place them there, so you can commit yourself to eating whatever that’s in the box when you have the munchies.

Keep Herbs Watered

• One of the greatest tips for increasing the longevity of your herbs is placing them in a glass of water on your counter or your refrigerator depending on the climate. Treat fresh cut herbs like fresh cut flowers so you can enjoy them longer.

Check out our Fruit and Vegetable Storage Guide (now available in Spanish and Mandarin) for more tips and storage recommendations!   

Learn more about Food Shift and their programs to rescue surplus food that would otherwise waste away in landfills and utilize it to fuel their social enterprise kitchen.