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This really depends on how far away you are from the store. I’m in rural and it’s 20 mins each way not including actual shopping. I buy once a week. Sometimes every 2 weeks. If I have to go into town I try to shop and do my errand in one trip. I’m retired. Try and save where I can. I have bought a mason jar vacuum sealer and used it on all my flour and dry goods. They will last twice as long that way.
I do this too, except I paid several dollars for less than a half a cup of celery. I would’ve been better off buying the whole stalk of celery and throwing out what I didn’t need.
The trick is, not to buy water heavy foods such as fruit, celery. Things that work well are mushrooms, spinach, and stay away from any prepared salads like macaroni salad
A couple I have found that have worked well so far is:
Freezing half gallons of milk and thaw them when needed. I also usually soak it in a pot of tap water in the fridge to thaw quicker
For carrots I use a vegetable brush to clean off the dirt and such and keep them submerged in water in a air tight container in the fridge.
For celery, I give ii a good wash & rinse then wrap it in a damp paper towel then wrap that in foil and keep it in the fridge.
For ginger I just keep it froze in a plastic bag and use a grater/zester when needed.
Yeah I do it all the time! Tortillas, pita bread, regular bread, naan, all of it. Tortillas can be pulled out and tossed in the oven or microwave and they warm up and soften just beautifully.
I forgot to mention freezing tortillas & bread as well.
Have not had luck with corn tortillas however, but if you got somewhere that does half corn and half flour tortillas those still freeze well.
I get a half gallon of milk and divide into jars and freeze the jars (with room at the top for the liquid to expand! more room than you think you need!) so I can just pull out a jar and it only needs to last for a few days.
Wide mouth jars are best for freezing liquid. Less likely to burst. If you can freeze them uncapped then once frozen add the lid it is even better. I learned the hard way!
I haven't tried freezing them uncapped. I will try that. I have definitely done it the hard way several times. I've found that jars without any 'shoulders' at all are best - just straight up and down. The large size Tostitos salsa jars are my favorite. Most of the Mason jars did not survive my experiments.
You'll get the hang of how much to buy/what will keep over time.
I have had an issue with my spinach getting wilt-y after 2-3 days and I like to have it daily. So I buy the largest package and sautee 1/2 of it and put it in small plastic containers in the freezer.
Bananas I only like to eat when they are 100% yellow (no brown or green lol) so I'll blend bananas in my blender with water and whatever other frozen fruit I have. Seal in small plastic containers and then I'll take those out and blend with water, ginger, chia seeds, celery, etc to make a smoothie.
This is how I make my spinach and bananas last/work for me. You can probably use this technique on other fruits and veggies.
Hope that's helpful - good luck!
p.s. Yay to living alone - it's the best.
If you have a dollar tree around or a family dollar I've found they have smaller packaging options than normal grocery chains. They are a lil cheaper too & the portions are better for just me.
I bought a few of those "produce keepers" you can find on amazon, and they really do work. My fruits and vegetables stayed fresh long enough for me to actually work through them. If I buy meat, I'll portion it out and then freeze the portions so that I don't have to cook the whole thing at once. Then just thaw what you need.
I only go shopping with 3 or 4 meals planned out for the week+ and then I get snacks, drinks, and frozen stuff I like i.e. fish sticks, chicken strips,, Morningstar farms "tasty fake" (as my now ex partner and I used to call them), chicken patties and Buffalo nuggets, meatless
*Wrap celery in foil- it lasts for weeks!
*Put fresh bunches of herbs (like cilantro) in a glass of water
*Make quiche or ‘refrigerator soup’ once a week with your tired veggies
*vaccuum sealers are great- check your local ‘FREE’ and FB Marketplace if you don’t want to buy a new one.
Berries keep a long time in glass jars. I use a cheap cooler in the Northeat corner of my garage, I store potatoes, onions carrots and winter squash in there
Buying and storing depends on one vital mechanism. How often do you cook?
But having those ziploc bags to store veggies is quite good. Carrots will last 2 weeks+ in those things. Beans will last atleast 10 days. Leafy greens will last 3 days tops. Any unexposed veggies like Brinjal, Okra, Capsicum etc. will stay for 10 days easily. Same with Apples and Oranges.
I buy my groceries weekly.
Good luck.
I’m surprised this hadn’t been posted. I was aware of it but one of the YT’s that I follow recently posted a video. It’s especially good for berries that seem to go bad the fastest. I think it will probably work for leafy greens too.
You put your fruit in a bowl with vinegar and water. I’ve seen straight vinegar but I think that’s too harsh. Most directions suggest 3:1 ratio. I’ve also seen 4:1. Raspberries need age least time. (This is what my YouTube’er used.)
As we know vinegar is acidic so soak raspberries for 4-5 and others for 6-8 minutes.
This removes dirt, some pesticides (the claim is all??) and bacteria which is responsible for berries going bad so soon.
Before returning to fridge, grain, lay out on kitchen towel and dry thoroughly.
I have tried this in various parts of the country and learned it's far more dependent on where you live than if you clean the berries. Some parts of the country just never get the freshest berries and no amount of prep will help them stay fresh longer.
These https://www.amazon.com/FRESHPAPER-Produce-Vegetables-Perfect-Storage/dp/B00VEFVR8O/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?adgrpid=56873101622&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZQhSab2dQEDSwyzVXgHlyzuaMxHxHeFxAfTGQAEQwGMCJyF4YLRKp-JaLYV3m9lwew3zKFd1Jac45xEAxi2dbnrzsRahziWYChmys-Hf0BEgCVL7yuz-21EUEgqfwFcpO_0fKhumg_B3q81Geblk1e_a6DVgOKpFTOWtiGx93-7tWg-PHV83_iVRJUQCVXS59XsUDAfsOXnPecCeNAkKMw.bjaEMsOiMzXekiaEqf5Nu5IkhY1AgLtSNZhDqjLscAI&dib_tag=se&hvadid=557385084686&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9022812&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=17317917668760859415&hvtargid=kwd-572975966135&hydadcr=14857_13353758&keywords=freshpaper+food+saver+sheets&qid=1714484127&sr=8-2
I order my cooking by how long things last. The recipe that needs the tomatoes/spinach gets eaten first, then the recipe that uses the carrots/kale.
A head of lettuce lasts weeks longer than chopped/bagged lettuce. Home grown sprouts last weeks longer than purchased sprouts.
I don't buy more fruit than I can consume in 2-3 days, except for things like apples that last longer.
Get to know the veggies that last longer - cabbage lasts for weeks and is delicious roasted. I always keep some in my fridge as a backup veggie option. Broccoli also lasts a while.
I always keep some frozen veggies on hand as well to tide me over between trips for fresh produce.
I like using the slow cooker to cook a big batch of something, then I freeze one or two single servings of it and eat the rest till the leftovers run out. If I don't want to eat the same meal over and over I'll swap in some of the leftovers from the freezer. When I shop I buy enough for that recipe, plus some other miscellaneous veggies to roast in between. I don't get enough for several weeks, usually just one week.
I shop twice a week. Plan meals that use the more fragile veggies first - stuff like bell peppers, carrots, celery, zucchini, onions tend to last far longer than say cucumbers.
I buy big blueberry containers and just toss them in the freezer - they taste so much better from frozen and work all the same.
I've found other berries just don't transport well so I enjoy them as quickly as I can and buy them on sale knowing I'll probably lose out on some strawberries/blackberries at the bottom.
I go to the store about once a week for my primary run, but I’ll make a quick side run mid-week to restock on more perishable stuff. I know I can’t always keep perishables fresh for the full week. Buy less, but buy more often.
This only works with iceberg lettuce, but only remove what you are going to eat then wrap the rest up in foil. I had some last a month before. You just have to wash what you peel off each time.
I like buttermilk pancakes and sometimes need heavy cream for a recipe. You can pour it in icecube trays, freeze it then pop them out into a ziplock bag. You'll always have some on hand.
When I lived alone I grocery shopped on Sunday for the week, then on did car side pickup after work on Thursday for the weekend. I went to the farmers market on Saturday for produce and eggs.
My trick for lettuce is fool proof. I was the lettuce throughly and let it dry in a colander for an hour or so. Then I take a kitchen towel and put the lettuce in the towel and roll.the towel up until all.the lettuce is in the towel and not sticking out. I put the towel in a plastic bag and close it with a clothespin. I put it in the fridge and it lasts me a week. I have never done this with spinach only with lettuce that have a core such as romaine, Boston, etc. Works every time.
If you find an answer for the fruit, let me know.
Unfortunately they only sell most fruits in bulk, but I only eat a handful at a time (think dates, chopped up melon, kiwi) I decided to freeze my kiwi and honeydew melon, but I only had my dates a few times a week before they went bad...but there were so many in the container
I rinse most of my fruits and veggies in vinegar and water then dry them and store them in the crisper. I work from home and eat at home A LOT. Finding the balance of what quantity works best takes time. Also stuff like brussel sprouts and broccoli last a long time and they are also great to buy frozen
I order from a meal prep/catering business. So they have chefs who make the food for me and deliver it. Pretty convenient. Throw it in the freezer the 2nd half of the week. I have 0 interest in cooking/making food myself, looking up recipes, going grocery shopping etc
I live in Hawaii and have a hard time finding a grocery groove. Well after 8 years I finally found it 😂 I go to costco once a month and stock up on freezer stuff and dry goods so protein, frozen fruit, hard produce that lasts a long time like carrots, potatoes and onions, apples (all organic) then I get my plant milks, oats, protein, etc. Then during the weeks between I have a little farmers market store that just opened by my house so i go supplement with fresh greens, herbs and local fruits. Hit them about once a week. And there ya go- how to spend $600 a month on food 😂
one of my fav things to do is get a rotisserie chicken(shred and freeze it) and some broth from costco, and if any of my produce is going to go bad before i can eat it, i make a huge batch of soup and freeze it. When Im running lean between checks the soup makes an easy hearty and pretty healthy meal :)
I keep bread in a freezer. When I want a sandwich, or toast, I remove the required bread from the freezer and thaw it in the microwave.
I do the same thing with bagels.
Also, I learned a few years ago that freezing butter and cheese works out pretty well. Some types of cheeses are a bit crumbly when thawed after coming out of the freezer, but that doesn't bother me.
I don't use much cooking oil, so I buy it in very small bottles. You can freeze cooking oil; I tend to keep several small bottles of it in a freezer.
I go online the day before I shop and look at the grocery ads to see where I want to shop and what I want to buy there. Then I plan my meals. When I do cook (usually every other day), I make enough for 2-5 meals, depending upon if it will freeze well, if there’s room in the freezer, it’s my absolute favorite dish, etc. Then I freed or refrigerate the leftovers. I have lots of containers with a ton of sizes- leftover sides, big 2-3 servings, single servings of one dish and complete meals get put away for future use.
This way I’m hardly ever having to cook an entire meal from scratch, and I usually can avoid cooking at all 2-3 days each week.
I generally just buy a small amount of things that keep for a decent amount of time - eg grapes, apples, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. For things that might go bad quickly or I won’t use as frequently, I buy frozen - blueberries, strawberries, peas, peppers mix, corn.
Buy in the smallest quantities and break barging things down and freeze. You can now find smaller pans to make stuff. I recently found mini, one person meatloaf pans.
I go shopping twice a week. Wednesdays and Sundays. Fruits are eaten quickly so those don't go bad for me. But I try not to buy too much. For veggies, anything that goes unused and it's still good is frozen and a later time used to make stock.
Frozen foods are a singles best friend! ALL the frozen things. Flash frozen fruit and vegetables have high nutritional value compared to many days older store produce. I have a vacuum sealer $100 ish then sealing freezer bags for it from Amazon. Repackage any meat bulk purchased into multiple packages. When you get a larger freezer space you can do this! Eat at home. Learn to cook! Eat week purchase one more herb or spice until you are well stocked!
Usually I have some frozen ones on hand, and then I go and buy veggies/meat that I plan to cook within the next day or two. I’ll cook the food into leftovers, and it lasts longer when it’s cooked too. I typically go to the store twice a week, though.
Buy frozen veggies 🥗
Buy frozen berries to make smoothies
Cook enough to have leftovers the next day
Buy the family size meats, divide it into smaller serving size ( ziplock bags) and freeze until you need to cook.
Take out the bag and defrost. Wash bag and reuse it.
Buy bread, English muffins, bagels on sale. Use one, freeze one.
**Welcome to [r/LivingAlone](https://www.reddit.com/r/LivingAlone/)! Living alone is the new normal.** >Discuss and share your experiences; celebrate your joys, express your worries, or ask advice relating to solo living | Remember, we are all alone together * Be kind, remember the human when interacting with others. * New Reddit group chat [**Living Alone Lounge**](https://www.reddit.com/r/LivingAlone/s/cp7Szwzy2q)! * Message the moderators below for any comments, questions & suggestions! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/LivingAlone) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Go shopping twice per week. That is what I would do. You don’t need to shop once per week or once every two weeks.
This really depends on how far away you are from the store. I’m in rural and it’s 20 mins each way not including actual shopping. I buy once a week. Sometimes every 2 weeks. If I have to go into town I try to shop and do my errand in one trip. I’m retired. Try and save where I can. I have bought a mason jar vacuum sealer and used it on all my flour and dry goods. They will last twice as long that way.
If you need just a small amount of veggie like for a recipe, I find getting it from the salad bar works well. If you're only buying small quantities.
That’s a great idea!
I do this as well! You get more variety and it's cheaper than buying all the different veggies separately.
I do this too, except I paid several dollars for less than a half a cup of celery. I would’ve been better off buying the whole stalk of celery and throwing out what I didn’t need.
The trick is, not to buy water heavy foods such as fruit, celery. Things that work well are mushrooms, spinach, and stay away from any prepared salads like macaroni salad
A couple I have found that have worked well so far is: Freezing half gallons of milk and thaw them when needed. I also usually soak it in a pot of tap water in the fridge to thaw quicker For carrots I use a vegetable brush to clean off the dirt and such and keep them submerged in water in a air tight container in the fridge. For celery, I give ii a good wash & rinse then wrap it in a damp paper towel then wrap that in foil and keep it in the fridge. For ginger I just keep it froze in a plastic bag and use a grater/zester when needed.
I never thought to freeze milk. That and tortillas are the things i keep having to throw away.
Tortillas freeze really well!
Really?? Flour tortillas???
Yeah I do it all the time! Tortillas, pita bread, regular bread, naan, all of it. Tortillas can be pulled out and tossed in the oven or microwave and they warm up and soften just beautifully.
I forgot to mention freezing tortillas & bread as well. Have not had luck with corn tortillas however, but if you got somewhere that does half corn and half flour tortillas those still freeze well.
until you drop them on the floor LOL
Bad for us good for the dogs
Try freezing those too!
I get a half gallon of milk and divide into jars and freeze the jars (with room at the top for the liquid to expand! more room than you think you need!) so I can just pull out a jar and it only needs to last for a few days.
Wide mouth jars are best for freezing liquid. Less likely to burst. If you can freeze them uncapped then once frozen add the lid it is even better. I learned the hard way!
I haven't tried freezing them uncapped. I will try that. I have definitely done it the hard way several times. I've found that jars without any 'shoulders' at all are best - just straight up and down. The large size Tostitos salsa jars are my favorite. Most of the Mason jars did not survive my experiments.
You'll get the hang of how much to buy/what will keep over time. I have had an issue with my spinach getting wilt-y after 2-3 days and I like to have it daily. So I buy the largest package and sautee 1/2 of it and put it in small plastic containers in the freezer. Bananas I only like to eat when they are 100% yellow (no brown or green lol) so I'll blend bananas in my blender with water and whatever other frozen fruit I have. Seal in small plastic containers and then I'll take those out and blend with water, ginger, chia seeds, celery, etc to make a smoothie. This is how I make my spinach and bananas last/work for me. You can probably use this technique on other fruits and veggies. Hope that's helpful - good luck! p.s. Yay to living alone - it's the best.
You can freeze bananas in their peel, then use them in a smoothie. Frozen bananas taste like ice cream.
If you have a dollar tree around or a family dollar I've found they have smaller packaging options than normal grocery chains. They are a lil cheaper too & the portions are better for just me.
I bought a few of those "produce keepers" you can find on amazon, and they really do work. My fruits and vegetables stayed fresh long enough for me to actually work through them. If I buy meat, I'll portion it out and then freeze the portions so that I don't have to cook the whole thing at once. Then just thaw what you need.
I only go shopping with 3 or 4 meals planned out for the week+ and then I get snacks, drinks, and frozen stuff I like i.e. fish sticks, chicken strips,, Morningstar farms "tasty fake" (as my now ex partner and I used to call them), chicken patties and Buffalo nuggets, meatless
*Wrap celery in foil- it lasts for weeks! *Put fresh bunches of herbs (like cilantro) in a glass of water *Make quiche or ‘refrigerator soup’ once a week with your tired veggies *vaccuum sealers are great- check your local ‘FREE’ and FB Marketplace if you don’t want to buy a new one.
Dice veggies. Spread out of baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat. Place in freezer. When solid, move to freezer container.
Berries keep a long time in glass jars. I use a cheap cooler in the Northeat corner of my garage, I store potatoes, onions carrots and winter squash in there
Buying and storing depends on one vital mechanism. How often do you cook? But having those ziploc bags to store veggies is quite good. Carrots will last 2 weeks+ in those things. Beans will last atleast 10 days. Leafy greens will last 3 days tops. Any unexposed veggies like Brinjal, Okra, Capsicum etc. will stay for 10 days easily. Same with Apples and Oranges. I buy my groceries weekly. Good luck.
I’m surprised this hadn’t been posted. I was aware of it but one of the YT’s that I follow recently posted a video. It’s especially good for berries that seem to go bad the fastest. I think it will probably work for leafy greens too. You put your fruit in a bowl with vinegar and water. I’ve seen straight vinegar but I think that’s too harsh. Most directions suggest 3:1 ratio. I’ve also seen 4:1. Raspberries need age least time. (This is what my YouTube’er used.) As we know vinegar is acidic so soak raspberries for 4-5 and others for 6-8 minutes. This removes dirt, some pesticides (the claim is all??) and bacteria which is responsible for berries going bad so soon. Before returning to fridge, grain, lay out on kitchen towel and dry thoroughly.
I have tried this in various parts of the country and learned it's far more dependent on where you live than if you clean the berries. Some parts of the country just never get the freshest berries and no amount of prep will help them stay fresh longer.
These https://www.amazon.com/FRESHPAPER-Produce-Vegetables-Perfect-Storage/dp/B00VEFVR8O/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?adgrpid=56873101622&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZQhSab2dQEDSwyzVXgHlyzuaMxHxHeFxAfTGQAEQwGMCJyF4YLRKp-JaLYV3m9lwew3zKFd1Jac45xEAxi2dbnrzsRahziWYChmys-Hf0BEgCVL7yuz-21EUEgqfwFcpO_0fKhumg_B3q81Geblk1e_a6DVgOKpFTOWtiGx93-7tWg-PHV83_iVRJUQCVXS59XsUDAfsOXnPecCeNAkKMw.bjaEMsOiMzXekiaEqf5Nu5IkhY1AgLtSNZhDqjLscAI&dib_tag=se&hvadid=557385084686&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9022812&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=17317917668760859415&hvtargid=kwd-572975966135&hydadcr=14857_13353758&keywords=freshpaper+food+saver+sheets&qid=1714484127&sr=8-2
I order my cooking by how long things last. The recipe that needs the tomatoes/spinach gets eaten first, then the recipe that uses the carrots/kale. A head of lettuce lasts weeks longer than chopped/bagged lettuce. Home grown sprouts last weeks longer than purchased sprouts. I don't buy more fruit than I can consume in 2-3 days, except for things like apples that last longer. Get to know the veggies that last longer - cabbage lasts for weeks and is delicious roasted. I always keep some in my fridge as a backup veggie option. Broccoli also lasts a while. I always keep some frozen veggies on hand as well to tide me over between trips for fresh produce. I like using the slow cooker to cook a big batch of something, then I freeze one or two single servings of it and eat the rest till the leftovers run out. If I don't want to eat the same meal over and over I'll swap in some of the leftovers from the freezer. When I shop I buy enough for that recipe, plus some other miscellaneous veggies to roast in between. I don't get enough for several weeks, usually just one week.
I shop twice a week. Plan meals that use the more fragile veggies first - stuff like bell peppers, carrots, celery, zucchini, onions tend to last far longer than say cucumbers. I buy big blueberry containers and just toss them in the freezer - they taste so much better from frozen and work all the same. I've found other berries just don't transport well so I enjoy them as quickly as I can and buy them on sale knowing I'll probably lose out on some strawberries/blackberries at the bottom.
I go to the store about once a week for my primary run, but I’ll make a quick side run mid-week to restock on more perishable stuff. I know I can’t always keep perishables fresh for the full week. Buy less, but buy more often.
I take out my bacon and freeze it accordion style in a sheet of wax paper. Then i can grab a couple slices whenever i need them
I put cilantro in a wine glass with some water in it and it stays fresh for a while!
Keep strawberries and other berries in a mason jar in the refrigerator. It’s amazing how long they can last in there.
I go grocery shopping every couple days and only buy stuff for the food I’m going to eat in the next 2-3 days
This only works with iceberg lettuce, but only remove what you are going to eat then wrap the rest up in foil. I had some last a month before. You just have to wash what you peel off each time.
I like buttermilk pancakes and sometimes need heavy cream for a recipe. You can pour it in icecube trays, freeze it then pop them out into a ziplock bag. You'll always have some on hand.
When I lived alone I grocery shopped on Sunday for the week, then on did car side pickup after work on Thursday for the weekend. I went to the farmers market on Saturday for produce and eggs.
My trick for lettuce is fool proof. I was the lettuce throughly and let it dry in a colander for an hour or so. Then I take a kitchen towel and put the lettuce in the towel and roll.the towel up until all.the lettuce is in the towel and not sticking out. I put the towel in a plastic bag and close it with a clothespin. I put it in the fridge and it lasts me a week. I have never done this with spinach only with lettuce that have a core such as romaine, Boston, etc. Works every time.
If you find an answer for the fruit, let me know. Unfortunately they only sell most fruits in bulk, but I only eat a handful at a time (think dates, chopped up melon, kiwi) I decided to freeze my kiwi and honeydew melon, but I only had my dates a few times a week before they went bad...but there were so many in the container
I rinse most of my fruits and veggies in vinegar and water then dry them and store them in the crisper. I work from home and eat at home A LOT. Finding the balance of what quantity works best takes time. Also stuff like brussel sprouts and broccoli last a long time and they are also great to buy frozen
I order from a meal prep/catering business. So they have chefs who make the food for me and deliver it. Pretty convenient. Throw it in the freezer the 2nd half of the week. I have 0 interest in cooking/making food myself, looking up recipes, going grocery shopping etc
I live in Hawaii and have a hard time finding a grocery groove. Well after 8 years I finally found it 😂 I go to costco once a month and stock up on freezer stuff and dry goods so protein, frozen fruit, hard produce that lasts a long time like carrots, potatoes and onions, apples (all organic) then I get my plant milks, oats, protein, etc. Then during the weeks between I have a little farmers market store that just opened by my house so i go supplement with fresh greens, herbs and local fruits. Hit them about once a week. And there ya go- how to spend $600 a month on food 😂
one of my fav things to do is get a rotisserie chicken(shred and freeze it) and some broth from costco, and if any of my produce is going to go bad before i can eat it, i make a huge batch of soup and freeze it. When Im running lean between checks the soup makes an easy hearty and pretty healthy meal :)
Buy and make your favorite foods. You might only to make dinner a few days a week.
cabbage carrots and potato last forever. I always have green onion growing in a cup of water in my window
I keep bread in a freezer. When I want a sandwich, or toast, I remove the required bread from the freezer and thaw it in the microwave. I do the same thing with bagels. Also, I learned a few years ago that freezing butter and cheese works out pretty well. Some types of cheeses are a bit crumbly when thawed after coming out of the freezer, but that doesn't bother me. I don't use much cooking oil, so I buy it in very small bottles. You can freeze cooking oil; I tend to keep several small bottles of it in a freezer.
I freeze my butter when I buy the bars, then defrost one at a time,
I go online the day before I shop and look at the grocery ads to see where I want to shop and what I want to buy there. Then I plan my meals. When I do cook (usually every other day), I make enough for 2-5 meals, depending upon if it will freeze well, if there’s room in the freezer, it’s my absolute favorite dish, etc. Then I freed or refrigerate the leftovers. I have lots of containers with a ton of sizes- leftover sides, big 2-3 servings, single servings of one dish and complete meals get put away for future use. This way I’m hardly ever having to cook an entire meal from scratch, and I usually can avoid cooking at all 2-3 days each week.
I generally just buy a small amount of things that keep for a decent amount of time - eg grapes, apples, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. For things that might go bad quickly or I won’t use as frequently, I buy frozen - blueberries, strawberries, peas, peppers mix, corn.
Buy in the smallest quantities and break barging things down and freeze. You can now find smaller pans to make stuff. I recently found mini, one person meatloaf pans.
I go shopping twice a week. Wednesdays and Sundays. Fruits are eaten quickly so those don't go bad for me. But I try not to buy too much. For veggies, anything that goes unused and it's still good is frozen and a later time used to make stock.
Frozen foods are a singles best friend! ALL the frozen things. Flash frozen fruit and vegetables have high nutritional value compared to many days older store produce. I have a vacuum sealer $100 ish then sealing freezer bags for it from Amazon. Repackage any meat bulk purchased into multiple packages. When you get a larger freezer space you can do this! Eat at home. Learn to cook! Eat week purchase one more herb or spice until you are well stocked!
Usually I have some frozen ones on hand, and then I go and buy veggies/meat that I plan to cook within the next day or two. I’ll cook the food into leftovers, and it lasts longer when it’s cooked too. I typically go to the store twice a week, though.
Buy frozen veggies 🥗 Buy frozen berries to make smoothies Cook enough to have leftovers the next day Buy the family size meats, divide it into smaller serving size ( ziplock bags) and freeze until you need to cook. Take out the bag and defrost. Wash bag and reuse it. Buy bread, English muffins, bagels on sale. Use one, freeze one.
i usually make one big meal on sunday and eat it every day for a week supplemented by microwave meals