ShelfLife
Meal planning to reduce food waste
Most food is wasted because it was bought without a plan, then forgotten. A light weekly plan, built around what you already have, fixes both problems in about 15 minutes.
Updated November 4, 2026
Step 1: start with what you have
Before planning anything new, look at what needs using:
- Raw meat and fish close to its date: it has the shortest time. Chicken and ground beef keep only 1 to 2 days.
- Leftovers, opened jars and half-used packs.
- Soft vegetables, ripe fruit and herbs.
Build the first two or three meals of the week around those.
Step 2: plan fewer meals than you think
Plan 3 to 5 dinners, not 7. Plans fall through: an invitation, a late night, leftovers that stretch further than expected. Unplanned nights are what leftovers and the freezer are for.
Step 3: choose flexible meals
Some dishes absorb whatever is left in the fridge:
- Soups and stews: for tired vegetables. They also freeze well.
- Stir-fries and fried rice: for small amounts of vegetables and cooked rice.
- Omelets, frittatas and quiches: for eggs, cheese ends and vegetables.
- Pasta bakes and salads: for cooked pasta and odds and ends.
- Smoothies: for overripe bananas and soft fruit.
Step 4: write the list from the plan
- Check the fridge, freezer and cupboards first, so you don't buy what you already have.
- Write quantities, not just items: "3 onions", not "onions".
- Buy loose fruit and vegetables when you only need a few.
- Be wary of offers on perishable food you have no plan for.
Step 5: cook once, eat twice
Cook a bigger batch of one meal and plan the second round: Sunday's roast chicken becomes Tuesday's chicken salad or soup. Freeze portions you won't eat within 3 to 4 days.
Step 6: keep track of dates
The plan only works if you know what's about to expire. Put perishable food at the front of the fridge, organize it so nothing gets hidden, and note when leftovers were cooked.
A simple weekly rhythm
| Day | Meal idea |
|---|---|
| Shopping day | Something with the most perishable purchase: fish or fresh meat |
| Day 2 | A meal that makes planned leftovers |
| Day 3 | The leftovers, in a new form |
| Day 4 | A flexible "use it up" meal: soup, omelet, stir-fry |
| Day 5 | Something from the freezer or the cupboard |
Sources
- Storage times: USDA FoodKeeper
- USDA: Food loss and waste
ShelfLife shows what's expiring first, the best starting point for next week's plan.