This handy guide will help you plan when to use your produce purchases and provides a range of storage solutions for other staples!

Fridge and pantry staples

Milk

Keep milk in the body of the fridge to last longer. The door of the fridge is convenient but warmer.

Eggs

Store eggs in the cardboard carton instead of the plastic holder in the fridge. It keeps them safe slows moisture loss stops them from absorbing food odours and helps keep track of the use by date.

Butter and cheese

If you want butter and cheese to last for longer keep it in the main part of the fridge. Wrap cheese to avoid hard cracked surfaces.

Meat and seafood

Store at the back of the fridge where it’s colder. Frozen mince can be stored for two to 3 months for texture and flavour but is safe to eat if frozen for up to 6 months.

Bread

Wrap bread in paper or plastic and store in a bread tin if you have one. Avoid storing in the fridge as it will absorb moisture and grow mould more easily.

Process stale bread into fine breadcrumbs and freeze in a resealable bag for schnitzels meatballs or crunchy pasta bake topping.

Flour

Take flour out of the packet and store in an airtight container. Screw top lids are best but any seal will do to prevent weevils.

Fresh produce planning guide

1-2 days after you shop

Lettuce asparagus cucumber zucchini and snow peas have a short fridge-life. Load up on salads early in the week to enjoy these foods.

3-5 days after you shop

Opt for traditional lean meat and three veg mid-week as well as stir-fries. This is the time to use up green beans capsicum celery brussels sprouts and eggplant.

Once ripe bananas retain their freshness for a few days. Buy when they’re green and store them in a separate fruit bowl to slow down the ripening process.

5-7 days after you shop

Vegetables with a longer shelf life can be used in hearty dishes like roasts slices hotpots slow cookers curries soups and stews. Reach for potatoes broccoli and cauliflower.

Leafy greens like kale spinach and silverbeet last up to a week in the fridge with a towel tucked in their bag to soak up any condensation. Put them in the freezer if you’re planning to keep them any longer.

Tomatoes lose flavour in the fridge. Store them separately on a window sill to slow the ripening process and maximise taste!.

More than one week after you shop

Onion garlic fennel and hardy herbs like rosemary and thyme will last for up to two weeks. Keep veggie scraps from earlier in the week in the freezer and give them a new life by flavouring a homemade stock with these flavour-punchers!

Root vegetables like carrots beets radishes parsnips turnips and kohlrabi can last for several weeks if stored in a cool dry place like the kitchen cupboard. Pumpkins can keep for months! Roast mash or puree.