All of that food is money that is being thrown away. If you want to save money on groceries, organize your leftovers to reduce waste.
Use Leftovers for the Next Meal
Save a lot of money on groceries by using leftovers for lunch or dinner the very next day. Instead of bringing a boring lunch meat sandwich to work or school, bring the fried chicken, meatloaf, or casserole. Using all leftoevers the next day will reduce waste and save you money.
An easy way to use leftovers for meals is to freeze them in pre-arranged portions on freezer safe plates with lids. This is just like making TV dinners out of your leftovers; they can be cooked in the microwave for a quick meal. They can be saved for several days using this method.
Use Leftovers Immediately to Stop Waste
To save money by not wasting those leftovers, you can plan to use them immediately after you finish your meal. Chop up leftoever meat and add it to a salad or casserole. Extra veggies can be made into a salad with some herbs and spices. Or set all the leftovers on the stove in a large pot or water and broth and make delicious homemade soup.
Use a Filing System to Stop Leftover Waste
If you do not want to use your leftovers right away, you can still stop waste of food and money if you organize them. Store them in containers on a specially designated shelf in your fridge. Using a pen and masking tape or stick on labels, mark what each container has in it and the date you put it in the fridge. Another option is to number each container and have a wipe-off board on the front of the fridge with the contents written down.
For quick and easy leftover use, different types of foods can go in different types of containers. Make leftovers easy to use and there is less of a chance they will be wasted. Not only will you save money on food not being wasted, you can also reduce the amount of convenience foods that you buy at the supermarket.
Have a Once a Week Leftover Day
One day when Mom does not want to cook for the family, designate a leftover day. All leftovers not eaten during the week must be eaten for dinner on that day. Let the family prepare their own culinary creations. You will save money and foster creativity.
