Noovie’s advices: A practical guide to reduce food waste at home (and save a few bucks!)

First step: Inventory of stocks (What’s in your fridge?)

• Make a list in your phone, whenever something is empty add it to the list. Next time you go to the grocery store, you know exactly what to buy.
• Sort out what you have: it’s always a good idea to check before going to the grocery store that there are no moldy containers left in the back of the fridge.

What to do with: 

• Perishable foods (refrigerated): meats, fish, milk, soft cheese, cold cuts, etc. → Eat the food as quickly as possible
• Perishable foods (low risk): Fruits, vegetables, hard cheese, eggs, juice, butter, baked goods → Use your senses to judge the quality of these foods (odor, color, unusual textures)
• Non-perishable foods: cereals, preserves, jams, sauces, condiments, frozen foods → Once again, call on your senses to judge the quality of these foods (smell, color, unusual textures). When opened, cans should be refrigerated and thawed foods should be eaten quickly.

Be careful! There's a difference between musty and faded: molds are microscopic fungi. They are diverse and some secrete toxins that are harmful to health. Stale foods, such as wilted or soggy vegetables and “poached” or overripe fruits, are still edible.

 In case of mold... 

• Immediately remove any fruits or vegetables that are moldy from the batch to prevent the deterioration of other fruits or vegetables. 
• Clean intact fruits and vegetables that have been in contact with mold with potable water to remove hidden mold particles, then dry them well before storing them in the refrigerator.
• Trim moldy foods: Hard foods (eg carrot, turnip, firm cheese) can be trimmed 2.5 cm (1 inch) around the moldy area. 
• Soft foods (eg: peach, yogurt, jam) must be eliminated because mold penetrates more easily.

Second step: Plan the menu of the week and prepare a grocery list

Several sites allow you to search by food, if you have leftovers.The same goes for cookbooks, some books have an index at the end that allows you to search by ingredient. Technically, part of the grocery list will be created by the foods accumulated during the week, you just have to add the foods you need to make your recipes. Sometimes it's best to look at the discounts and flyers, plan the menu according to the discounts available, and prepare the grocery list. You can also take a look at Noovie products, here's where you can find them.

Third step: Making the most of leftovers

• Freezing: Freezing is a good reflex to develop in order to manage excess food. Keeping a few pre-cooked meals in the freezer is a great solution when the unexpected happens or when you don't have time to cook.
• Lunchbox: It is better to consume the leftover foods rather than throwing them away. Prepare individual servings for the lunch box. If necessary, freeze leftovers to increase their shelf life.

You can also use leftovers from previous meals as a basis for a new dish. Many sites offer recipes to reinvent your leftovers.

With these tips, you're ready to tackle food waste in your house! Go change the world, one produce saved at a time!