Better in My Belly Than in the Trash

by Leigha Staffenhagen

For the longest time, I was on an anti-leftover crusade. As a kid, “leftovers for dinner” was my least favorite night. In college, my section of the fridge was regularly inundated with Tupperware containers my roommates could always count on as a late-night snack, because they knew I wasn’t eating it.

Now, I’m proud to say, after far too many years of chucking old food in the trash, I’ve finally started to embrace leftovers, especially as an easy fix for tomorrow’s lunch. Don’t get me wrong, I love eating lunch at the Co-op! But for the sake of reducing personal food waste and saving money, I’ve taken a serious liking to leftovers for lunch. Plus, if I’m going to talk the talk of food waste prevention, I need to walk the walk, too.

A mindset change and a few new habits later, I’ve been able to save hundreds (!!!) on groceries and reduce my overall food waste. Simple but effective, here’s my list of quick tips and tricks for kicking food waste to the curb, while also fattening your wallet. After all, food is always better in your belly than it is in the trash.

No Excuses— Eat Those Dang Leftovers!

Pack them for lunch the night before. Set an alarm on your phone, so you don’t leave home without them. If you live with someone, hold each other accountable: no more “I’ll pretend to forget them, so the other person eats it” nonsense. Save the planet, save your wallet.

Write Down Your Lunch Expenditure

If lunch on-the-go is your go-to, try setting a goal to write down how much you spend every day. Prior to doing so, I was easily spending $7 a day, without giving it much thought. In February, I was able to spend less than $50 on lunches because I saw exactly where my budget was trending and could reel it back before I exceeded it. You can start by just tracking your spending without making any changes yet – the amount will probably shock you.

Order Curbside Groceries

Yes, we still offer curbside pick-up! We love having you in the store, but if you’re trying to save on groceries, having a list and only ordering exactly what’s on it, prevents impulse purchases and over-shopping on food that won’t get eaten before it goes bad.

Shop Co+op Deals & Fresh Deals

For some it’s a no-brainer, but here’s a reminder that our weekly sales flyers are always worth a look. There’s even an app you can download that shows sale items you can add to a shopping list (Search Co+op Deals in the App Store). Stocking up and saving a couple bucks on your everyday essentials can be surprisingly impactful in the long run.

Be Patient

Your grocery bill won’t magically shrink overnight, especially if you’ve got a lot of mouths to feed, but making small changes over time can make a major difference in a matter of months. Set realistic goals and try to work on improving one thing every month.

In the end, your food will end up where it should be— in your belly, not the trash —and you just might have some extra cash.