6 Ways to Save on Groceries with Less Food Waste

The average American household throws away 6+ cups of food every week! We all do it – forget that slimy bag of spinach, leave leftovers to mold in the fridge, run out of time to use those avocados…

According to a 2023 study by MITRE and Gallup, American food waste has an enormous annual impact: wasting crop fields the size of New York and California; filling 1 million dump trucks; wasting 9 million Olympic swimming pools of water.

This costly habit hurts our wallets, too. The study found that households could save $125 per month ($1,500 per year!) just by shopping, cooking, and eating smarter.
Ready to reduce the environmental impact of your food waste and spend less on groceries? Follow these sustainable tips:

1. Choose a Cuisine Theme

Sustainability is built on versatility – how can you get the most use out of what you already have on hand? A weekly cuisine ‘theme’ is a great way to simplify planning and avoid overbuying single-use ingredients. This way, you can mix and match similar flavors to use up small portions, especially for toppings.

For example, the One-Pot Elote Chicken & Rice recipe calls for 3 tbsp of sour cream, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, and 1 cup of cilantro, so you’re definitely going to have leftovers in the fridge. Pair it with Aroma’s Rice Cooker Taco Soup tomorrow and load up all your extra toppings – no waste!

2. Prioritize In-Season Foods

You’re not crazy – it’s true! In-season produce really does taste better and lasts longer. That’s because most imported fruits and vegetables are picked early, before peak ripeness, in order to buffer the transit time to your local grocery store. Locally grown produce is often cheaper, too, so you can lower grocery bills simply by shopping in season.

(Here’s a link to Aroma’s seasonal spring produce guide, for reference!)

3. Make a Detailed List

Did that recipe call for two zucchinis or two pounds of zucchini? Listing the specific weights and amounts next to each item is a great way to avoid overbuying at the grocery store. It also helps to list your ingredients in the order you’ll find them in the store, so you can grab everything in one swift trip through the aisles. You’ll waste less time, too!

4. Store Food the Right Way

Vegetables, fruits, and grains are the three most wasted food groups. Learn how to store them correctly and use them up before they spoil! For example, did you know a vacuum-sealed storage container can keep grains fresh up to 5 times longer? And tropical fruits are best left on the counter until they’re ripe, then moved to the fridge. Use this A-Z resource link to learn how to safely store all the ingredients on your list and make them last longer.

5. Love Your Leftovers

Whether you choose to meal prep in batches or cook a healthy, quick meal every night, eating leftovers is one of the best ways to combat food waste. Get in the habit of taking food containers for lunch! Also, notice if you’re cooking too little or too much. With practice, you’ll develop an eye for portion sizes and learn how to adjust recipes to prevent food waste.

6. Opt for Automatic!

You’ve done all the hard work with planning, shopping, and storing – now it’s time to cook! One-pot rice cooker meals and automated multicooker recipes do all the hard work for you. Toss everything inside, close the lid, and click the button. There’s little to no prep work, and you won’t have to hang out in the kitchen to stir or watch the pot.

If you struggle to find the motivation to cook after a long day at work, try a delay timer! Most Aroma digital rice cookers and multicookers can be scheduled to start up to 15 hours ahead. And with ceramic nonstick cooking pots, cleanup is just as quick and easy.

Now there’s no reason to let your groceries go to waste! You’ve got this.