saving money

Cut back on food waste with StillTasty.com

StillTasyI can’t stand wasting food, but I have to admit we’re guilty of it more often than I like. We forget to eat leftovers before we cook something new, we’re not sure how long something can be stored for, so we toss it to be safe…It’s so frustrating to see perfectly good food (or maybe perfectly good? when did we last cook that…?) go into the trash.

Which is why I was so excited when I discovered StillTasty.com. It can tell you how long pretty much anything you want can be stored, and the best ways to store it.

Produce, spices, drinks, condiments…You name it, StillyTasty has information on it. Just type the item you want to know about in the “Keep It or Toss It?” box, and the site will tell you how long it will stay safe (and tasty) to eat, as well as the best way to store it for optimal freshness and taste.

I was pleasantly surprised by how specific it is. Type in “pasta,” and you get all sorts of options. Is it angel hair pasta, bow tie, shells? Cooked or uncooked? Still in the package unopened? You’ll find out how long it stays good in the fridge and in the freezer (or on the shelf if it’s still packaged), as well as specific advice on things like in what kind of container you should store it, what happens if you store it past the recommended date, and how you should handle leftovers with sauce vs. dry leftovers.

StillTasty also has handy sections where common questions are answered and you can find tips on things like how to keep ice cream fresh and creamy (no more freezer burn!) and how you should read expiration dates.

I plan on using this site a ton in the future! Our next step is to develop a solid meal plan to cut down on food waste even further.

What tips do you have for food storage?

 

~Heart,

Em

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4 Comments

  • wow that’s a pretty cool website. I freeze lots of things myself, like veggies and lentils, etc. I try so hard to eat healthy and I always end up with so many things left over and if I don’t freeze them they will go to waste! If I want variety in my life that is!

    • Yeah, I could eat the same leftovers all week long (I’m a creature of habit), but The Hubby gets tired of that, so freezing is definitely a good option to keep us from wasting anything.

  • Thanks for the tips! I guess I don`t have any big tips on storing food, but I do have this thing where I go through everything in the cupboard, writing down every items, so that I know what`s on that top shelf I rarely see the contents of. I then see what I can use for different meals or for baking, so that I make sure that things get used up and not thrown out.

    • That’s a really smart idea. We need to get better about clearing out our fridge/pantry before going out to buy new food.

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