Make Your Food Last Longer

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average family of four throws away $1,500 worth of food every year.  Here are five types of food, and how you can make them last longer.

My wife and I like to cook. We watch the Food Network a lot, and love trying recipes with new flavors and ingredients. But I HATE throwing away food because it went bad before we had a chance to use it.

So do yourself a favor and check out this list. Maybe you can start saving food...and money!

• HARD CHEESE: Take it out of the plastic it came in and wrap it in parchment paper and tin foil. Air (oxygen) is the biggest enemy of cheese, and the parchment paper and tin foil make a better seal than most of the plastic it comes in. If it does get a little moldy, cut away an inch or so of the cheese around the moldy spot!
• APPLES: They will last ten times longer if you keep them in the coldest, most humid part of your fridge. Usually the bottom drawer. Don't let them freeze though!
• POTATOES: Don't throw them away because they get sprouts. Just break the sprouts off. They tend to get sweeter after sprouts have grown on them.
• MILD & DAIRY: Take a cooler or insulated bag with you when you go shopping and make sure milk and dairy is the LAST thing you put in the cart. Shelf life for milk and dairy products goes down pretty fast when exposed to heat, even if just for an hour or so. The cooler can help slow that down as you travel back home.

There are lots of other types of food that can last longer if you just take a few extra steps when you get home from the market!

You can see more foods and way to prolong their freshness HERE

SOURCE: Time Magazine