21 Brilliant Products For Anyone Who Can't Stand Wasting Food
Wasting food? In this economy?
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1. A bunch of stretch lids that can cover bowls, plates, or cups any shape or size. In fact, you can even stretch them over fruit or vegetable halves to keep them fresh! No need to transfer your leftovers to a different container before putting them in the fridge — just put a stretch lid on it.
2. A desktop cup warmer that'll keep your beverage warm and fresh-tasting for hours. It's perfect for people who end up wasting coffee or tea because it gets too cold and stale to drink. I have one and I can no longer imagine my work day without it! No more remaking coffee over and over again.
3. A set of leakproof silicone bags that'll save your food and your money. They're a great reusable alternative to regular disposable Ziploc bags, so you can divide up portions of meats or freeze your stews and veggies, without using excess plastic.
These airtight bags are also microwave and dishwasher friendly, and reviewers say they're a worthwhile investment.
Get a set of four on Amazon Canada for $9.99+. Available in two other multipacks.
4. A produce-saving drawer insert you can leave in the produce box of your fridge to extend the life of your fruits and vegetables by weeks! It has an absorbent carbon filter inside that sucks in the gases that cause produce decay, so you can enjoy crunchy lettuce, crisp apples, and unwilted herbs for longer than their usual shelf life.
Reviewers say it's worth every penny and especially love how long herbs like mint and cilantro last with it in the fridge. Each filter lasts up to three months! You can pick up some backups here.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $14.82.
5. A cheese container that'll allow your cheese to breathe, without turning it bone dry. It has a little grid-style draining mat at the bottom that’ll ensure your favourite sharp cheddar is aired out from all angles, plus it’ll prevent spoiling and hardening.
Reviewers say it not only helps preserve their food, but also prevents their fridge from smelling cheesy.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $22.92.
6. A brown sugar softener that'll keep your favourite sweetener moist and malleable. Submerge it in water for 20 minutes, pat dry, and leave it in your brown sugar container. It's made of terracotta, so it'll hold in all the hydration the sugar will need to prevent it from getting rock hard!
It can also be used dry to keep snacks and pantry items like chips, crackers, cereal, and spices fresh. Reviewers love the cute bear shape, too!
Get a pack of two from Amazon Canada for $15.09.
7. Some pop containers that'll keep the leftover halves of your frequently-used vegetables from getting slimy and gross. They're easy to spot, and they'll also prevent your fridge from getting overcrowded with larger airtight containers full of forgotten veggie leftovers.
8. A wine preserving pump that'll keep your precious whites and reds from going stale or flat once opened. It comes with two bottle stoppers that work like a wine cork while the pump sucks out the air from the bottle to maintain top-notch freshness — easy-peasy!
Reviewers say it's just what they needed for half-finished bottles that go to waste. It's durable and reseals the wine, so it tastes like a new bottle when you drink it again.
Get the set from Amazon Canada for $23.90.
9. A bestselling air fryer, so you can enjoy all the delicious deep-fried treats you love, without using a ton of oil. Your food will require up to 85% less fat to cook, and that's without compromising on the crunchiness and taste! It comes with a booklet containing 100 recipes, so you'll have a new way to use it every day.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $167.99+. Available in three colours.
10. Some food storage wraps that you can use over and over again to seal in the goodness of your food just by using the warmth and pressure of your hands. They're self adhesive, anti fungal, antibacterial, and air resistant, plus they last for up to a year! So long, aluminium foil and cling wrap.
The manufacturer advises against microwaving them and exposing them to very hot temperatures.
Get a pack of three from Amazon Canada for $18.
11. A pasta-measuring tool that'll help you cook the exact amount of pasta you need, so you don't have excess sauceless servings sitting in your fridge. It's made of durable stainless steel and has four holes to fix all your portion size confusions.
12. Some bestselling magnetic clips you can use to seal leftover chips in the bag, so they don't lose their crunch and taste stale. You can even put them on opened frozen food bags to prevent freezer burn. They're non-slip and stay put.
13. A vacuum sealer designed to help you with food storage and prevent spoilage and freezer burn. Unlike your regular bag or container, this sucks all the air out of the bag, which is super handy for keeping your crunchy foods crunchier for longer. Also, you can seal in a steak and cook it sous-vide style!
The machine comes with five vacuum bags, one vacuum roll, one vacuum hose, and a user manual to get you started. Reviewers love using it to store wet and dry homemade food. It has different modes for different food textures, too.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $98.99.
14. Some tubular herb pods that'll keep your fresh herbs green for three times longer than usual. There's a small water reservoir at the bottom that you can refill every 3-5 days to give the herbs the moisture they need.
Reviewers say their herbs easily last up to three weeks. Also, it's one of Oprah Winfrey's favourite products!
Get a set of three on Amazon Canada for $37.52.
15. A stainless steel jug that'll help you filter and reuse leftover grease. It has a mesh strainer on top, so you can simply pour the grease from your cooking pan into it and throw away the deep-fried crumbs and burnt sludge that collects on the top.
16. A set of airtight containers that'll not only help keep your pantry items from going stale, but also help organize them better. The shape allows good use of vertical space in the kitchen.
17. A grocery list notepad that has everything already listed out for you, so you never double-buy or forget any items. Simply check off what you're out of and head to the store, so you can get exactly what you need — nothing more, nothing less. Pretty straightforward, eh?
18. A food dehydrator, so you can preserve your favourite herbs, fruits, vegetables, and meats. This bestseller has five stackable trays, so you can dehydrate a bunch of food in one go. Make some healthy summer fruit snacks to enjoy in the winter!
Reviewers say they also love making jerky in it.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $54.96.
19. A bunch of Mason jars you can use to keep food and condiments from spoiling. I love using mine to store leftover canned foods (leaving them in opened cans makes them taste gross and metallic), and my corn, tomatoes, mushrooms, beans, and homemade soups last way longer!
20. A split bowl that'll prevent your cereal from becoming soggy, inedible mush when left alone for too long. Just mix the cereal with milk as you go! Breakfast will no longer be a race against time, and for that, we're grateful.
21. And lastly, a stainless steel toolkit that'll help you eat every edible part of shellfish you can. The tools can be used to extract juicy meat from the thinnest crab leg, and snap the most stubborn crustaceans open. It's seafood boil season! 🦀🦞🦐
Food wastage? We don't know her.
