Matthew Parr

Place cut carrots and celery in jars filled with water to keep them fresh, crisp and easy to grab for up to a week. I will properly store 3 veggie snacks.

Store potatoes with an apple to avoid early sprouting. Keep them away from onions and in a cool, dark place. I will properly store 1 potatoes.

Roll unwashed lettuce in a dry towel, then store in a sealed bag in the refrigerator. I will properly store 2 leafy greens.

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.

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 7 bananas.

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 2 avocados.

Trim the ends of asparagus and place them in a jar or glass with 1-2 inches of water, just like fresh cut flowers. Keep them in the refrigerator. I will properly store 2 bunches of asparagus/celery.

Store apples up to 7 days on the counter, then move them to the refrigerator. Keep them away from bananas and avocados as they speed ripening. I will properly store 7 apples.

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 2 cartons of milk.

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

I will plan an Eat the Leftovers night by creating a tasty “smorgasbord" or using a recipe that repurposes leftovers. I will eat 2 meals using leftovers.

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

Use a portion size guide to ensure appropriate portions when cooking. I will cook 4 portion-appropriate meals.

The freezer is your friend! Store any leftover food in the freezer for a quick weekday meal or freeze fruits that are getting ripe to use for a delicious smoothie later. I will freeze 5 food item(s).

Five bananas for $1 is a good deal only if you eat all five. Many stores offer the sale price even if you buy less than the stated quantity.

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

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

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

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.

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.