If you’re trying to save money and reduce wastage, your freezer can be your best friend. Don’t serve out more on a plate than people can eat. They can always come back for more is still hungry. Then freeze any casseroles or crock pot meal that are not dished out and put them in the freezer. They then only have to be defrosted and heated for a quick casual meal.
Buy vegetables when they are on special. We have found a really cheap fruit shop in Sydney. Unfortunately we don’t live there but if we are going to our daughter’s or to the footy we go that way so we plan ahead so we can call in on the wee and take advantage of their specials. Freeze those not required at the time.
Don’t leave fruit and vegetables in a hot car. Try and buy them last when shopping. Take them out of plastic bags and out them in the fridge as soon as you get home. Snow peas are one exception that don’t mind being in a plastic bag in the fridge.
If you have your own vegetable gardens you will have even less wastage. Use your freezer to good advantage when the vegetables come on as they tend to all at once. Or share excess with neighbors. It may not save you money, but you might gain something even better- a new friend.
We rarely have many food scraps. Anything like a bit of fat cut from the meat our two dogs will eat. Vegetable peelings, egg shells and such go in the compost bin for Mick’s compost heap. Cans, jars and paper are all recycled, so our actual garbage is very little, usually one small bag a week, unless Mick is doing some work in the garden. Then there may be too much green waste to use in the compost heap.
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