How to avoid waste and keep your food fresh for longer

No one likes wasting money but every year households toss out an average of $3,800 worth of food.

Food waste also counts for one third of our garbage in NSW[i].

We’ve put together some tips to help you keep food fresh for longer, prevent food waste and save you money!

Make sure your fridge is set at the correct temperature – the Food Authority recommends keeping your fridge below 5 degrees.

Keeping foods in specific parts of your fridge helps food last longer and helps prevent contamination.

Top and middle shelves - ready to eat foods such as yoghurt and cheese, deli meats, cooked meats and leftovers in airtight containers. Store eggs unwashed pointed side down in their original carton.

Bottom shelves – raw meat, fish and poultry.

Crisper drawers – vegetables, fruit and salads.

Liners for your fridge crisper are a worthwhile investment and will add extra freshness to fruit and vegetables. 

Some vegetables and fruit such as celery, carrots and apples will last longer in a reusable vegetable bag, container or wrapped in a clean damp tea towel.

Refrigerate fresh soft leaved herbs in a jar half filled with cold water.

Refrigerate cooked meats, poultry and seafood as soon as they have cooled after cooking.  Never leave these foods at room temperature as bacteria will grow quickly.[ii]

Always cover food or store these foods in reusable containers.

Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to three days otherwise freeze them[iii]. Remember to label and date them too.

Some fruits and vegetables such as bananas and pineapples last longer out of the fridge. You can stop bananas from ripening too quickly by wrapping the stem with a little foil.

Potatoes and onions should be stored in separate baskets in a cool dark place.

Store bread in a cool dark place too otherwise freeze it.

‘Best before’: you can eat most food (except eggs) after a best before date as long as it has been stored correctly.

‘Use by’: do not eat any food after its use by date.[iv]

Always close your fridge door to keep food fresh – even when you’re just getting milk for your tea or coffee.

If you still have foods that are no longer edible, throw them in your compost. Chickens also make great composters (and feathered friends) for the whole family.

If you would like to learn more, check out some of our webinars on topics including:

- Preserving Fruit and Vegetables: learn traditional preserving techniques.

- Make Food Not Waste: learn how to make tasty stocks, soups and leftover lunch bowls.

- Eat Better and Avoid Food Waste:  learn how to feed your family with a healthy diet while saving the planet.