What to you buy at the grocery, with every intention of eating, but end up throwing away?

[mousefan73]

Bread. I never finish a loaf of bread before it goes bad.

I put mine in the freezer and lightly toast to defroast. Never wasted bread/ money since

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

It seems like anymore bagged lettuce just does not keep. I an lucky to get them to last more than one day after they have been opened.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Mine is cucumbers.

Lemons/limes/oranges

Mint

Salad/lettuce

Bread/buns/tortillas


New products, like a new jam or sauce or whatever. I get it at the store and forget I got it; find it later stuffed in the back of the pantry, usually expired or close to it.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Almost nothing...but the one thing that sometimes gets away are bean sprouts (which I only buy when less than $1) - they go bad in 3-4 days, and I usually buy them for the spouse to use in his lunches, so if he doesn't, and I don't notice, they can go bad. In fact, I tossed a bag today - 1st item I've tossed in months...

 

[Poohlove]

celery

 

[RedAngie]

I hate wasting food and never use up a whole bunch of celery before it goes bad. So now I buy those pre-cut snack packages with 7 or 8 small pieces.

Financially it doesn’t make sense; it’s cheaper to buy the whole bunch and throw out the leftovers.

I heard Wegmans sells loose celery by the rib.

For asparagus I take three or four stalks from several bunches instead of the whole rubber banded bunch.

Some supermarkets sells eggs by the half dozen.

I no longer buy bagged lettuces or spring mix. One market brought back their salad bar after covid so I buy just the amount I need.

 

[lynxstch]

Banana's

 

[Moliphino]

Usually produce (onions, potatoes, basil, celery). I'll need some for a recipe, then the rest just rots in the fridge or pantry.

 

[Shadeaux]

It seems like anymore bagged lettuce just does not keep. I an lucky to get them to last more than one day after they have been opened.

Put a paper towel in the bag of lettuce and leave the bag open. It will keep for an extra day or two before going bad.

 

[BrianL]

Bananas for me. I like them, but I just don't really like eating them for some reason.

 

[ronandannette]

Same as everybody else...bagged salad and greens. I also end up throwing out at least half of all the baking I do, unless it’s being made to intentionally give to others. My family always says they want something (cake, pie, special dessert of some sort) but then with only eat a serving or two. That’s a huge source of waste here bit I’m at the point now where I just very rarely bake anything for them.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Same as everybody else...bagged salad and greens. I also end up throwing out at least half of all the baking I do, unless it’s being made to intentionally give to others. My family always says they want something (cake, pie, special dessert of some sort) but then with only eat a serving or two. That’s a huge source of waste here bit I’m at the point now where I just very rarely bake anything for them.

If you use a cake mix, you can weigh out half the mix and use half the ingredients called for on the package and just do a single 8 or 9 inch circle...and if you still want 2 layers, cut the circle through the middle and stack.

It should help with waste only having 1/2 as much at one time...

 

[Hopscotch]

Bananas- I feel like there's only a day or two when they are actually good.

Also grapes- if I put them in the fridge no one eats them and if I leave them out, no one eats them because they're not cold!

 

[John VN]

Put a paper towel in the bag of lettuce and leave the bag open. It will keep for an extra day or two before going bad.

I dry lettuce, put a paper towel in a Ziplock bag and then the lettuce, push air out and seal. Dry and crispy up to 4 days in coldest area of fridge.

 

[LilyWDW]

Produce is a big one for me. I make a nice meal plan every week, lots of fresh veggies, but then my fatigue and pain get bad so I don't have the energy to actually cook said meals. Thus the veggies end up going bad. I have started to use more frozen veggies for sides since I can still stir fry or roast them, but they won't go bad if I miss a meal.

Bread used to be a problem, but my grocery store now carries a brand that does half loaves and half packages of hamburger and hot dog buns. Tortillas are still a problem. I just can't get through them all and often forget to throw them into the freezer.

 

[footballmouse]

Fresh vegies and milk

 

[mrodgers]

Lots of folk saying salad/lettuce. I need to expand on that because I just finished a bag of salad. Doesn't last long enough as it's all I eat several times a week for dinner, so they are larger than your side salad with the meal you would eat. However, I buy the tub of it and it degrades rapidly and I always have to throw it away halfway through eating it.

Also I can't stand bread in the fridge, but that was the only way it didn't get moldy very fast when I first moved here. Lately though, it's been perfectly fine for weeks. I no longer have to throw regular bread away.

And milk would be the other one. A quart isn't enough as I buy milk if I happen to buy cereal. I always have cereal left over. But a half gallon, such as in my fridge right now, goes bad before I can use it up. I'm thinking of trying powdered milk as on occasion I cook breakfast and need but don't have milk.

Produce of all kinds. It seems I can never eat asparagus fast enough as they get slimy and I can.not.eat.it.

Asparagus was on sale for $1.99 at Walmart and looked half decent. It's usually not good and the grocery store is $4.99/lb.

I bulk cook so cooked 6 lb. of it in the air fryer last night to go with my pork chops that are in the freezer cooked.

 

[LilyWDW]

One way I deal with the milk issue is that I buy oat milk for cereal and the like. Then if I am baking or cooking, I buy the smaller bottles that have like 2 cups in them. It may not be as "budget" as buying more milk, but the oat milk lasts a LOT longer (and upset my stomach less).

 

[Micca]

Cilantro. I also struggle with the bagged salad mixes. From my upcoming book "First World Problems"

 

[tzolkin]

Sometimes when we shop together my spouse will joking ask, "Hey, do you want to buy a pineapple so we can let it sit on the counter until it rots?"

I will admit there have definitely been quite a few that have wound up fed to our chickens and/or chopped up and tossed into the compost pile.