Why do we clip, save and stock up?? Well we do it to get the best deal on the items we use the most! I have been checking out my pantry and seeing what has dwindled over the year and preparing my list of items I need so that I can watch the sales and match up my coupons. In doing this I am reminded of what items I have had to toss out because they had expired and/or gone bad.
Food waste is not limited to just the pantry but encompasses all food and items that I have stocked up on over the year or from the weekly fridge cleanings I have done. Overall I have come to the conclusion that for my family, less is definitely more. So instead of buying 20 bottles of salad dressing for a 'really good price' I am setting out a limit for the year. How much of each item will my family 'really use' in the next year thereby helping to reduce my spring dumpings.
Here are my steps:
1. Make a list of pantry items
2. Make a good ball-park figure of how much my family used each item over the last year
3. Condense my list to purse size (3 X 5 index card)
4. Watch the super summer sales for great stocking up
This index card method is ideal for those of us on the run all the time. This way I know exactly where my list is (in my wallet) and I can focus on those items each week when the sales come out. Once I have reached my limit I am done with that item for the year and no matter the 'great deal price' even if I can get ketchup for a dime, forget about it! That dime is still money that is tossed in the garbage next spring if I over stock my pantry and over buy.
After looking at my trash bin fill up with bottles of mustard, salad dressing, and other items that I got at really great prices, I feel confident that next spring I will throw out less thereby saving more!
The following web article is one of the best I have read regarding food waste so check it out and happy summer stocking!
http://www.wholeliving.com/photogallery/prevent-food-waste-at-home?lpgStart=1¤tslide=1¤tChapter=1
No comments:
Post a Comment