(MoneyHippo.com) – With the rising food prices at the grocery store, the last thing you want to do is waste anything. The fact is, food waste in the United States tops over 108 billion pounds per year, and the average family of 4 throws out $1600 per year in food waste, but there are ways to avoid this problem in your own home. By planning and being creative, you and your family can spend less on food overall by reducing waste. Try these tips.

1. Plan Ahead: Instead of going to the grocery store and buying in bulk, plan all your meals in advance. When shopping for food, only buy the items you need to complete those meals for the week. Remember to include all meals and snacks in your planning. By using a meal plan, you’ll have less waste and likely buy fewer items as well.
   
2. Check Items: Keep an eye on the expiration dates of your food and use items approaching that date first to avoid spoilage. Arrange your refrigerator and pantry with the oldest items in the front, so they’re visible. Also, structure your meal plan to use fresh produce closest to your shopping date to preserve freshness and reduce waste.
   
3. Soups: Use scraps that may soon spoil or leftovers from another dish and make soup. It’s a good way to get another meal out of your food while eliminating waste while you save money. You can also freeze the leftovers for another time.
   

Careful planning and creative cooking can be just the thing to stop food waste in its tracks.

Copyright 2022, MoneyHippo.com