Food waste reduction
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Make yogurt from milk that has started to turn mildly sour.
It is suitable for making yogurt if it is too sour to drink but not too bad.
one person who lived it
Do not discard soy sauce based on the best by date.
it is basically salt
one person who lived it
Throw out the entire loaf of bread if any mold is visible.
It is inexpensive enough to replace.
one person who lived it
Watch Last Week Tonight with John Oliver for information on this topic.
It was described as a good watch.
one person who lived it
Label freezer items with their name and the date they were frozen.
It makes it easy to identify and discard items that have been stored too long.
one person who lived it
Store opened jars upside down to limit air flow into the container since they are no longer airtight.
This prevents air from entering and spoiling the contents.
one person who lived it
Eat canned soup well past the best-by date if it smells okay and does not taste wildly off.
Manufacturers stop guaranteeing how much the product resembles its original state after the date.
one person who lived it
Recognize that many food product dates are driven by profit motives to encourage rapid repurchasing rather than by safety or storage needs.
manufacturers want you to discard items quickly so you buy more
one person who lived it
Consume unopened milk weeks after the printed expiration date if it has been properly refrigerated.
Unopened milk often remains safe well past the label date.
one person who lived it
2 more on this
Use mildly sour milk for baking, such as pancakes, as the acidity helps with leavening.
The extra acidity makes fluffier pancakes and can replace buttermilk; you cannot taste the vinegar if used to sour the milk.
one person who lived it
Manage your pantry by using older items first; put new purchases behind existing stock.
7 people, independently