To reduce the amount of vegetables and fruits that may be going to waste:

• Plan meals and snacks for the week around the vegetables and fruits you have on hand.
• Buy only what your family will eat within a week to prevent waste.
• Store vegetables and fruits properly to delay spoilage.
  • Check out the Vegetables and fruits storage and How to preserve vegetables and fruits sections for more information.
• Do not wash produce (except leafy greens) before storing since it will make them go bad faster.
• First in, first out! Use older produce that you have been storing before you use new produce.
• Freeze extra vegetables and fruits.
  • For example, freeze overripe bananas to use in smoothies or to make banana muffins or bread.
• Make stock or broth with extra vegetables or scraps.
• Compost vegetable and fruit scraps to create a nutrient-rich fertilizer for your garden.
  • If you don’t have a garden or the space, check if there is a community compost program in your community.
• Try using reusable containers to store your vegetables and fruits.