5 On Your Side

How food waste costs your wallet -- and the planet

What's in your refrigerator right now? Anything that's teetering on the edge of expiration?

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By
Monica Laliberte
, WRAL executive producer/5 On Your Side reporter
RALEIGH, N.C. — What’s in your refrigerator right now?

Anything that’s teetering on the edge of expiration?

5 On Your Side’s Monica Laliberte tells us why it’s a bigger problem than many realize.

Of all the garbage filling landfills, food waste is the most prevalent – and it produces the greenhouse gas methane, which has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide during the first 20 years after reaching the atmosphere. In short, carbon dioxide may have a longer-term impact, methane is causing more heat in the short-term, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

And here’s another eye-opening statistic: Consumer Reports says cutting back on food waste could save a family of four about $1,500 a year!

“If you’re throwing out a lot, you might be buying too much food," said Amy Keating, a nutritionist with Consumer Reports.

Strategies for helping prevent food waste

Start with a shopping list. It can help you focus on buying what you’ll really use.

1. Carefully consider the 'order' in which you eat your groceries

Hardier produce, including carrots and brussels sprouts, lasts longer than frail fruits and vegetables, such as leafy greens and berries.

And if your fruit is starting to get super ripe, avoid wasting them by adding them to smoothies or baked goods.

2. Consider buying frozen produce

Consider buying frozen produce.

CR says it’s just as nutritious as fresh, and then you can take out only what you need.

Freezing leftovers only makes sense if you eventually eat them.

Dating them can be a reminder to help you use it.

3. Use clear containers

Keep dry goods in clear, airtight packaging to make them less susceptible to dampness and mold.

Plus, if you see it you’re more likely to eat it.

4. Stuck with waste anyway? Compost it!

And if your produce reaches the point it has to be tossed, compost it!
The nutrient-rich soil it turns into can help you grow your own produce.

5. Don't store perishable foods in the fridge door

One last reminder, to keep milk and eggs fresher, longer don’t store them in the refrigerator door.

CRs tests show the temperature is generally a few degrees warmer than the rest of the shelves.

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