Myth: Using coupons is the only way to save money on food.

Answer: BUSTED!

The average household throws out 470 pounds of food every year. According to a recent survey, 39% of Americans feel guilty about wasting food (read more at http://supermarketnews.com/consumer-trends/americans-guilty-about-food-waste-survey). This food waste costs a family of four about $600 each year. Think you and your family can use $600 this year? Here are some tips to help you cut down on your food waste:

1. Use as much of your vegetables as you can! Do you only put cauliflower florets in your stew or stir-fry? Stews or soups don’t rely on the perfect appearance of your ingredients so try to use as much of the vegetable as you can. The liquid in stews and soups help to soften the tougher part of veggies.
2. Use leftovers! Do you have leftover veggies or chicken strips? They go great on salads. Have some leftover chickpeas from that recipe you prepared the other day? Add them to canned soup for some extra fiber. Get creative!
3. Get familiar with proper storage. Knowing where to store foods (refrigerator, cupboard or freezer) and how long they will keep will help you make the best use of the food you have on hand.

Visit MissouriFamilies.org to find more information on conserving food & saving money.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933