One of life’s greatest disappointments is going through your fridge only to find that the fruit and vegetables you bought recently have already gone bad. Such a waste of good produce and money!

Not to mention that food waste is becoming a global problem; in Australia alone, more than 5 million tonnes of food ends up in landfill every year. If we break it down on a smaller scale, over a tenth of the food we buy is tossed into the sad pits of the trash bin, which could cost the average household more than $1000 annually.

Signs of food spoilage include a difference in appearance and colour, a change in texture, a foul odour, or an unpleasant taste, as well as becoming soft, mushy, or slimy. And of course, there’s the mould!

Sometimes, storing food in cool places like your freezer or crisper isn’t enough. You’ll need to do more than that to make sure they aren’t spoiled the next time you forage your fridge for produce!

Plus, the freezer isn’t the best answer for some kinds of fruits and veggies. Did you know that potatoes, onions and tomatoes are better off stored in kitchen cabinets? Placing them inside the fridge actually ruins their taste.

There are various ways to store food items; what works for one may not apply to another. You’ll also want to be creative and resourceful. Thankfully, most of the ways to keep food from spoiling are simple, quick and easy, like wrapping the crown of a banana bunch or switching to glassware from plastic when storing food in the fridge. Sometimes, it’s also as simple as keeping your fridge clean and uncrowded.

All that’s needed is the right knowledge to save on money and food! Here are some genius tips on how to keep your produce fresher for longer.

How about you? Do you have any advice on how to prolong the life of your fruits, vegetables and groceries?