I don’t know about you, but sometimes we have a hard time using up all of our leftovers. They tend to get lost in the back of the fridge and never seen again until they have turned into some kind of science experiment. YUCK! Not only is that wasted food, but it’s wasted money, too. You’ve already paid for the food so why not use it up and get your money’s worth out of it?

So, here’s an easy tip to help make sure that those leftovers do not go to waste. First, start with a clean fridge. Just dive right in and give your fridge a really good cleaning. Now, before you start putting things back, go through EVERYTHING. If you have open jars/containers that have been in there for who know how long, get rid of them. If it’s not growing any mold and doesn’t smell bad, I’ll give it to my chickens.

Now, designate a shelf for everything: drinks, condiments, dairy (i.e. cheese, yogurt, etc.), and last, but not least, a shelf for leftovers. In my fridge, that’s the top shelf. Everyone knows that what’s on the top shelf needs to be used up first. They also know that it’s up for grabs for lunches, snacks, etc. I’m not saying that the system is perfect, but it sure does help to know what needs to be used up first.

You can also do the same thing in your freezer. Designate a shelf in there for your leftovers that are frozen, whether it’s meals that you’ve frozen, or partial bags of frozen fruits/veggies, or your pre chopped veggies that are waiting to be used. Hope this helps you use up those leftovers!

For more great ideas, check out We Are THAT Family!