Chelsea Weaver

Bigger carts make us feel like we need to fill them! Use a hand basket to improve grocery store discipline and prevent over-purchasing.

Create a shopping list with specific recipes and meals in mind. Purchase only what's on the list when you do groceries.

Use a portion size guide to ensure appropriate portions when cooking. I will cook 5 portion-appropriate meals.

Missing an ingredient for a recipe? Check this list to find the best substitutes.

Purchase local, seasonal produce, which will likely stay fresh longer as it was picked more recently than supermarket produce.

Grocery shop more often, and buy fresh foods in smaller quantities.

Those who grocery shop on an empty stomach spend 64% more than not-hungry shoppers. Resist impulse buys by shopping with a full stomach. Eat a snack or a meal before going grocery shopping.

I will create an "Eat Me First" area in my fridge to prioritize food that needs to be used right away.

I will not toss food once it is past the best buy date. "Expiration" dates misleadingly refer to quality, not safety. Use your senses and best judgement.

Give leftovers a new life! For example, use leftover rice to make fried rice. I will try a recipe that repurposes leftovers 2 times.

I will keep a fridge inventory to stay up to date with what I have in my fridge before I go grocery shopping.

To keep bananas from browning quickly, break up the bunch and separate. Don’t store bananas with apples, which speed up ripening. If the stems came covered in plastic wrap, do not remove the plastic until ready to eat as this will slow the release of ethylene gas. I will properly store 2 bananas.

To keep berries fresh, place them on top of a paper towel in a sealed container to absorb excess moisture and reduce chances of molding. I will properly store 2 packs of berries.

Allow green, unripe avocados to ripen on the counter, then transfer to the refrigerator. Once cut, keep the pit in and rub with lemon or oil to reduce browning. I will properly store 6 avocados.

Did you know that milk should never be stored in the side door of a fridge? Learn where to properly store food in your fridge by checking out the Resource. I will properly store 1 cartons of milk.

I will plan an Eat the Leftovers night by creating a tasty “smorgasbord" or using a recipe that repurposes leftovers. I will eat 10 meals using leftovers.

I will meal prep 20 meals.

For each day during the food waste tracking week, record your food waste. This action accepts one entry per day, so be sure to enter one total for food waste across all of your meals, or weigh all of your food waste once at the end of each day. Please use ounces for unit of measurement.