Smart shopping saves food and money

It’s easy to go into a supermarket and end up buying more than you need. So plan your meals and only buy what you really need to make them, to cut waste and your food bill. Here’s how:

• First, check your fridge, freezer and pantry to see what you need to use first.
• Work out what meals you will prepare using those ingredients and make a shopping list of what you don’t have, Remember, resist temptation, and only buy enough for the meals you have planned.

Be careful when you buy:

Check the Use By date
It tells you how long your food should keep safely, if storage instructions are followed.
Don’t buy or consume food with an expired ‘Use By’ date.
However, check to see if the food can be frozen before it’s ‘Use By’ date - if you need to eat it later date.

Check your Best Before date
It shows you when the quality of the product may begin to change. It is not a safety issue.
Food can be sold beyond its ‘Best Before’ date provided it is still fit for consumption.
One exception is eggs – never eat eggs after the ‘best before’ date.

Thanks to Econation.co.nz (econation.co.nz/avoiding-food-waste/)