Shopping and Storage Tips for Small Households

Tips to make buying for a small household easy

Smart planning and shopping will keep you from having to throw out food that has spoiled before you can use it. Here are some hints for adjusting your food buying routine to fit meals for one or two.

• To keep lettuce and other greens fresh for as long as possible, wash and dry them when you get home from shopping and put them in plastic bags, lightly sealed. For herbs, gather the bunch and wrap the cluster of stems with wet paper towels, then store them in sealed plastic bags. Store other vegetables unwashed in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
  
  
• Many large grocery stores have meat counters where you can select individual steaks, chops, chicken breasts, fish fillets, etc. You can also buy ground meats in any amounts. Don't be afraid to ask the butcher to give you just one or two chops, or to cut the amount of ribs you need.
  
  
• Those same larger stores cater to smaller households by offering pork and beef roasts in 2- to 3-pound pieces. If you must buy a roast larger than what you need, cut and freeze half for later. If you still have leftovers, set aside the meat for sandwiches or salads the next day.
  
  
• If you have leftover broth, tomato sauce, or spaghetti sauce, put the remainder in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag and freeze it for later use.
  
  
• Purchase loose-pack frozen vegetables; you can cook only what you need and return the rest to the freezer.