8 Effective Ways to Stop Wasting Money on Groceries

Buying spinach or other greens only to see them wilt in the fridge a few days later is the worst. Keep them fresh and crisp by taking a few extra steps to wash the greens and store them in a bag lined with a paper towel.

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If you know you won't get through your bunch of kale or bag of arugula before it goes bad, freeze it! You can either freeze individual portions of chopped greens in freezer-friendly bags, or you can puree the greens and fill an ice cube tray with them. This trick is perfect for incorporating greens into your morning smoothie.

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Sure, you know you should freeze chicken breasts before they go bad, but have you ever thought about prepping them before freezing them? Save yourself from extra work later on by adding olive oil, garlic, and spices to the chicken bags so that all you have to do is defrost them and cook dinner within a matter of minutes.

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More often than not, you probably buy fresh basil or parsley to use as a garnish and then end up watching the leftovers wilt. Avoid wasting money on these pricey herbs by making a big batch of pesto or chimichurri. You can make these flavorful sauces from just about anything, and they go on everything from pasta to chicken and fish.

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Lemons get moldy way too quickly. The good news is there's a much better way to store them than simply putting them in the fridge or leaving them in a countertop bowl.

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Nothing ruins an evening quite like pulling out a piece of bread to make a sandwich, only to realize it's spotted with mold. To maximize the shelf life of your artisinal loaf of bread, you can freeze it and thaw it out whenever you need it.

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Dilemma: do you eat the whole avocado, or sadly watch the unused half of it turn brown? You don't have to choose either of those options, thanks to an easy trick that lets you save an opened avocado for days.

Get the tip: how to stop avocados from browning

When in doubt, soup is the answer. Seriously, you can transform any vegetables lingering in your fridge into a flavorful soup with just a few additions, like stock and spices. Puree it all up, and freeze the rest for later.

Get the recipes: pureed soup recipes