18 practical kitchen tools that will help you waste less food
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According to the NRDC, America doesn't end up eating about 40% of its food. That's a lot when looked at as a hard number, but probably comes as less of a shock after the fourth week in a row that you've thrown out soggy, black lettuce from the back of the refrigerator.
The good-ish news is that because we waste about 50% more food today than we did in 1970, it should be relatively easy to cut back on it (especially with the innovations of the last 45+ years) if we just devote a bit more effort to it. Or, if we just bought smarter products that do some of the magical life-lengthening preservation for us.
In turn, we'll save resources, refrigerator space, and more money for other things we enjoy.
It could be as simple as a weekly "use it up" dinner, where you try to concoct a delicious Instant Pot meal of your leftovers from the week, or as low-maintenance as getting an inexpensive device to suck up the ethylene gas (which causes ripening) in your fruit and veggie drawer. It all depends on your lifestyle, budget, and what you find yourself most often wasting.
Below are 18 kitchen tools and tricks to cut down on food waste:
A little apple that absorbs the gas that speeds up ripening
AmazonBluapple One-Year Combo Pack, $16.95
Bluapples prolong freshness and storage life by absorbing ethylene gas, which is the harmless, odorless, and colorless gas that typically accelerates the ripening process of fruits and vegetables.
A colorful vegetable saver that extends shelf life and contains odors
AmazonThe Hutzler Onion Saver extends the shelf life of a cut onion and contains onion odors. You can get it in the shape of various fruits and vegetables so it's always easy to distinguish between them in the fridge.
Eco-friendly, reusable food wrap
AmazonWrap up perishables (cheese, fruit, vegetables, bread), cover a bowl, or pack a snack with this eco-friendly, reusable wrap. The natural antibacterial properties of beeswax and jojoba oil help keep food fresh and allow it to be used again and again.
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