Whenever we toss food, it's like throwing away money. If you want to become more money and time efficient in the kitchen, we've got some helpful tips to get you started.
Save Money:
- Don't fill your kettle to max every time you boil. Save time, energy, and water by being mindful of how much water you need and only boiling the correct amount.
- Stop using single use products like plastic zip bags and paper towels. Microfiber cloth works better than paper towels when cleaning up messes and can easily be washed and reused. Store food in sealable glass or plastic containers rather than using bags.
- Always make a grocery list and never shop on an empty stomach. You'll be tempted to buy just about everything that looks good when you're hungry, and having a list will help keep you on track.
Save Food:
- A product's "best by" date isn't meant to signal a product's expiry date, but rather lets a store know when it should sell the product by. Many foods are good for a week or more after their expiry date. Before you toss that "expired" food, check Love Food Hate Waste Canada's shelf life list.
- Adjust the temperature in your fridge, using the optimal fridge temperature of 4°C or 40°F as a guide. Higher temperatures can prematurely spoil food and a lower temperature can waste energy or cause foods to develop ice. Also, don't open the door too much to ensure your fridge temperature doesn't fluctuate.
- Improper storage can lead to a lot of wasted fruits and veggies. Ensure you're well-versed in the optimal way to store your food to keep it fresh longer.
Save Time:
- Preparing your meals with a slow cooker or an Instant Pot can help cut down on active cooking time.
- Adopt a weekly meal plan to help eliminate the what's-for-dinner stress. A meal plan can also help avoid fast food temptations.
- Pre-cooking your meat will cut meal prep in half. Cook large quantities of ground beef, multiple chicken breasts, or any other meats you consume frequently, then freeze or refrigerate them to use later.
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