Blog: Every Bite Counts

Did you know that fruits and vegetables make up nearly 45% of household food waste? That’s a lot of nutrients and resources going straight into the compost or trash. With a little planning and a few simple strategies, you can keep your produce fresher, reduce waste, and enjoy every last bite. Here are five strategies we recommend.

1. Plan Before You Shop

A meal plan is one of the best ways to prevent food waste. Before heading to the store, take a quick inventory of your fridge and pantry. Plan meals around what you already have and create a shopping list based on what you actually need. Stick to your list to avoid impulse buys that might go bad before you get to them.

2. Buy the Right Amount

It’s easy to overbuy fresh produce. They always look so good in the store! Consider how much you realistically eat in a week, use our portion planning guide and if you do buy in bulk, have a plan to use or preserve the extras. Buy loose and choose what you’ll use to have the most control over how much food you need to manage at home.

3. Store Produce Properly

Proper storage can significantly extend the life of fruits and vegetables. Here are a few key tips:

• Keep greens and herbs fresh by wrapping them in a damp towel and storing them in a breathable bag.
• Store ethylene-producing fruits (like apples and bananas) separately from ethylene-sensitive veggies (like leafy greens and carrots) to prevent premature ripening.
• Freeze what you won’t use in time—berries, chopped peppers, and even leafy greens can be frozen for smoothies, soups, or stir-fries.

Read More in our A-Z Food Storage Guide

4. Embrace Imperfections

Slightly wilted greens or limp carrots? Revive them. Wrinkly mushrooms or peppers? Toss them into a soup, omelet or stir-fry. Soft tomatoes? Add them to curries or pasta sauce. Bruised, sad looking fruit? Turn them into fruit compote or jam. Misshapen, sprouted or bruised produce is still just as nutritious— just cut away the bad spots and use the rest. Even vegetable peels and stems can be saved for homemade stock.

5. Love Your Leftovers

Get into the habit of using up what’s in your fridge – even if it even if it means improvising instead of strictly following a recipe. If that sounds a little intimidating, start with dishes like the following that can easily be made with a variety of fruits and veggies. 

• Egg dishes like omelets, frittatas, and scrambles are a quick and easy way to enjoy cooked or raw veggies.
• Smoothies are perfect for using up ripe fruit and even leafy greens.
• Soups and stews can easily accommodate a variety of raw, imperfect or cooked veggies. Check out our soup recipes or try your hand at making a soup without a recipe.
• Muffins and baked goods are great for fruit and veggies like zucchini and carrots.
• Pickling or fermenting extends the life of veggies and adds great flavor.

With a little planning and creativity, you can make sure that every fruit and vegetable you buy is enjoyed, not tossed. What’s your favourite way to use up produce before it goes bad?