15 Tiny Ways to Make Groceries Last Longer and Save Money

Let’s begin with the most important one.

Your refrigerator should be kept at 40°F or below, and your freezer should be kept at 0°F.

The number on the refrigerator dial does not always tell you the actual temperature inside. An inexpensive refrigerator thermometer can help you know whether your food is being kept properly chilled. I found out first hand… my fridge in the back was so cold when I took the tofu out… it was rock solid! I have had more than a few frozen items but I thought that it was set correctly!

If the refrigerator is too warm, milk, leftovers, produce and other perishable foods may spoil more quickly.

Place the thermometer inside the main refrigerator compartment and check it occasionally. This is especially helpful during the hot summer months or if your refrigerator is older.

The FDA recommends keeping refrigerators at 40°F or below and freezers at 0°F.

A full refrigerator can look wonderfully organized and abundant… but an overstuffed refrigerator may not cool food evenly. Here is another thing I did… there is just so much real estate in the fridge and I always packed it! Not only was it hard to find some of the items were not being cared for in the proper temp!  

Cold air needs room to circulate.

Try not to press containers tightly against every wall or stack food so densely that air cannot move between items.

This does not mean that you need a nearly empty refrigerator. Just leave a little breathing room around the shelves and avoid blocking the air vents.

University of Minnesota Extension advises leaving space for air to circulate rather than overloading the refrigerator.

When you bring home new yogurt, vegetables, cheese or pantry staples, place the new items behind the older ones.

Then use the older package first.

Stores call this rotating stock, but we can simply call it…

Do not let the new groceries hide the food we already have!

This takes only a few seconds and prevents half used containers from disappearing behind unopened ones.

You can also add a small Eat Me First Box to the front of the refrigerator for leftovers, opened packages and foods that should be used soon.

Studies show that the little egg holder built into some refrigerator doors may look convenient, but the door is one of the warmest and most temperature changing areas of the refrigerator.

Keep eggs in their original carton and store them inside the main compartment instead.

The carton protects the eggs and helps you keep track of the date printed on the package.

FoodSafety.gov and University of Minnesota Extension recommend storing eggs in their original carton in the main refrigerator compartment rather than in the door.

The refrigerator door is opened again and again throughout the day, so foods stored there experience more temperature changes.

Condiments, bottled water and other less temperature sensitive foods are generally better choices for the door shelves.

Place milk and other highly perishable dairy products on a cold interior shelf instead.

I used to place milk wherever it fit… but giving it a regular spot inside the refrigerator also makes it easier to see when we are running low.

This was one of Those little tips I wish I had learned years ago! I always thought you came hope… washed the produce and put it away.

Extra moisture can cause delicate berries to break down more quickly. The one fruit in my personal experience needs to be eaten the quickest is raspberries!

NEVER FORGET THIS STEP  Before storing strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries, look through the container and remove any berries that are crushed, damaged or beginning to spoil.

Keep the remaining berries dry and refrigerated. Wash them under clean running water shortly before eating or using them in a recipe.

Do not soak berries in a bowl of water.

University Extension guidance recommends storing berries unwashed and removing damaged fruit before storage because moisture can speed deterioration.

Moisture is one of the biggest enemies of lettuce, spinach and other delicate greens.

If your greens are already wet, gently dry them before storing them. I HIGHLY recommend getting that old salad spinner our or new salad spinner whatever the case may be and use it. A great way to get it nice and dry!

Also….this really helps… Place a clean paper towel inside the container or storage bag to help absorb extra moisture. Replace it if it becomes very damp.

Check the greens every few days and remove any leaves that are becoming slimy or spoiled. One damaged leaf can quickly make the rest of the package less appealing.

All pre cut or packaged produce should be refrigerated, and perishable produce such as lettuce should be kept at 40°F or below.

Fresh herbs can be expensive… and they have an amazing ability to look beautiful one day and completely exhausted the next.

Remove any rubber bands or twist ties that are squeezing the stems.

For sturdy herbs, you can wrap the stems loosely in a slightly damp paper towel and place them in a storage bag or container in the refrigerator.

Parsley and cilantro can also be placed upright in a small jar with a little water, much like a bouquet of flowers. Cover them loosely and change the water when needed.

Basil can be especially sensitive to cold. Whole basil stems often do better in a small glass of water on the counter, away from direct sunlight. Use them quickly or chop and freeze them for future recipes. A little side note about a glass of water on the counter. During the Pandemic it was almost impossible to get scallions here in NJ… don’t know what but it was. I use them a ton. Well I read an article like this one and found out if you place about 4 inches of the scallion ends with the roots into water in a glass on the window sill… it grows. It really works and that is how I got my scallions during that time… just went over there and snipped some!

Penn State Extension recommends refrigerating basil in a plastic bag with a paper towel or freezing chopped leaves for longer storage.

This one is so true! Some fruits release ethylene gas as they ripen.

This is completely natural, but it can cause nearby vegetables and certain fruits to deteriorate more quickly.

Apples, bananas, pears, peaches, avocados and tomatoes are common ethylene producers. I found out the hardware when I put bananas in the fridge! BTW… never put tomatoes in the fridge because it takes so much taste away.

Try not to crowd them together with foods such as leafy greens, broccoli, cucumbers and other produce that may be sensitive to ethylene.

You do not need a complicated chart hanging on the refrigerator. Simply keep rapidly ripening fruit in a different drawer or area from delicate vegetables whenever possible.

The USDA recommends keeping ethylene producing fruits away from ethylene sensitive fruits and vegetables when possible.

Not everything belongs inside the refrigerator.

Whole bananas, dry onions, potatoes and sweet potatoes generally do best in dry storage rather than being crowded into the refrigerator.

Keep potatoes in a dark, cool place because light can cause them to turn green.

Store dry onions and potatoes in containers that allow some airflow rather than sealed plastic bags.

Do not wash potatoes before storing them. Brush away loose dirt and wash them when you are ready to cook.

The USDA lists bananas, sweet potatoes, potatoes and dry onions among produce that should be kept in dry storage.

Once a fruit or vegetable has been peeled, chopped or cut, it should not be treated the same way as the whole produce.

Cover the cut surface or place the food in a clean, sealed container and refrigerate it promptly.

This includes half an onion, sliced watermelon, cut bell peppers, peeled carrots and leftover lemon wedges.

Try to label the container with the date so you know when it was prepared.

FoodSafety.gov recommends refrigerating peeled or cut produce and storing refrigerated food in covered containers or sealed bags.

If your household cannot finish an entire loaf of bread quickly, freeze part of it as soon as you bring it home.

Divide the loaf into smaller portions so you can remove only what you need.

You can also place small pieces of parchment or freezer paper between rolls, bagels or slices if they tend to stick together.

Slices of bread can usually go directly from the freezer into the toaster.

This works beautifully for:

• Sandwich bread
• Bagels
• English muffins
• Hamburger rolls
• Hot dog rolls
• Tortillas
• Homemade muffins
• Sliced quick breads

Freezing the extra portion immediately is much better than waiting until the bread is already becoming stale.

My little Grandson eats Avocado Toast every day and he love 21 grain bread so that is his bread. My daughter puts the loaf in the freezer… snips a piece off every day… puts it in the toaster and never wastes any of the bread because it is always fresh and at the ready!

You do not need an entire freezer cooking day to save food.

Freeze one banana. Great for Smoothies and upcoming banana bread or maybe even Banana Foster

Freeze half a loaf of bread.

Freeze the last spoonfuls of tomato paste. This is so helpful too when you are just looking for a little touch of extra flavor and don’t need a can or tube!

Freeze chopped herbs in a small container. If you have a little bit of a lot of herbs… try my flavor busters.

Freeze cooked rice in individual portions.  This is also a great thing to do just because. Then you have rice ready and waiting at any time. Cuts down on meal time prep!

Freeze leftover pasta sauce. Always a good idea!

Freeze berries that are ripe but still in good condition.

The important thing is to freeze food before it spoils, not after.

Label the container with the name of the food and the date. Otherwise, three months from now, we will all be staring at the same mysterious frozen block wondering what on earth it might be!

Food kept continuously frozen at 0°F remains safe indefinitely, although quality can decline over time.

Once bags of cereal, rice, flour, crackers, pasta, pet food or baking ingredients are opened, close them securely.

Clips are helpful, but airtight containers can provide better protection from moisture and pantry pests.

You do not need to transfer every food into a beautiful matching jar.

A clean reused container with a tight lid works perfectly well.

Write the product name and any cooking instructions on the container if you are discarding the original package.

University of Minnesota Extension recommends storing dry goods in tightly closed glass, metal or heavy plastic containers to help protect them from pantry pests.

Once or twice a week, take five minutes to look through the refrigerator, freezer and produce drawers.

Look for:

• Produce that needs to be used soon
• Leftovers that should be eaten or frozen
• Opened containers hiding behind new ones
• Fruit that is becoming very ripe
• Bread that can be frozen
• Small portions that could become lunch
• Foods that should be added to the next meal

This does not have to become another major household chore.

You are simply catching food before it crosses the line from perfectly usable to what happened in this container?