Simple Hacks to Reduce Food Waste

Reducing food waste doesn’t have to feel like a chore. In fact, it can be strangely fun, slightly chaotic, and very delicious. Here are five easy things you can do at home to cut back on waste and boost your eco-hero status—cape optional.

1. Give Sad Veggies a Glow-Up With a “Fridge Clean-Out” Bowl

If your veggies are looking a little… emotionally exhausted, don’t ditch them. Slice, roast, sauté, or spiralize them into a weekly fridge clean-out meal. Grain bowls, omelets, stir-fries—everything is fair game.

2. Freeze Like a Pro (Your Freezer Is Basically a Time Machine)

Leftover broth? Freeze it. Overripe bananas? Freeze them. Herbs that are moments away from retirement? Chop and freeze in oil.
Your freezer stops time, saves money, and prevents perfectly good food from entering the trash dimension.

3. Become a Master of Upcycled Snacks

Turn stale bread into croutons, wrinkly apples into applesauce, and broccoli stalks into slaw. Or reach for your favorite upcycled food products (wink wink) made from ingredients that would’ve been wasted.
Search engines love phrases like “easy upcycled recipes” and “snacks that reduce food waste.” Humans love snacks.

4. Store Food the Right Way (Your Produce Has Preferences)

Cucumbers don’t like the cold. Potatoes hate the sun. Fresh herbs love a good water glass. Learning simple storage tricks keeps food fresher longer and reduces waste—plus, it makes you feel like a produce whisperer.

5. Start a “Use-Me-First” Bin (AKA the VIP Section of Your Fridge)

Give soon-to-expire items their own bin at eye level. Yogurt, leftovers, chopped veggies—it all goes here. Make this the VIP section where food gets used first and never forgotten in the dark abyss of the bottom drawer.