you drop
shop until
Shopping efficiently and storing food properly
can help keep stress levels low, the household
budget in check and easy meals on the table.1 PLAN AHEAD
It’s worth the time and effort to plan
your meals ahead, so you know
exactly what you need to buy when
you shop. You don’t have to sit
down and do it every week, though.
It’s a good idea to make a master
plan for, say, a fortnight or a month,
then you can rotate and adjust
according to changes in family
activities and seasonal best−buys.
Link the plan to your shopping list
and you’ll be well on the way to
reducing waste and last−minute
dashes to expensive corner stores.2 MAKE A LIST
A current list is essential for smart
kitchen shopping. Keep the list
handy – maybe attached to the
fridge door with a magnet – and get
into the habit of adding items you
need as soon as you think of them.
Why not get really organised by
compiling a master list on your
computer of your most−used items
and printing it out each week, so all
you have to do is tick what you need
for that week? If you have the timeor inclination, you could use it
as the basis of a fridge/pantry
inventory, in which you’re able to
keep track of what you’ve got and
what’s nearing its use−by date. It
sounds time−consuming, but these
tricks save time in the long run.3 TRANSPORT
& STORAGE TIPS
Always put fresh meat, poultry
and seafood into the fridge as soon
as you get home. Remove from
packaging, then store, covered,
on clean plates or in airtight
containers, ensuring meat cannot
drip onto other foods. The bottom
shelf of your fridge or a dedicated
meat drawer in the fridge is ideal.
Invest in a good supply of
see−through plastic storage
containers with lids, in a variety
of sizes, for storing perishable
goods in your fridge and freezer.
Rectangular or square shapes
stack better than round
ones, so save on space.8