Frugal Living Experts Share 6 Hacks To Extend the Life of Perishable Groceries
Written by
Gabrielle Olya
Edited by
Levi Leidy
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
With grocery prices at record highs, it’s extremely upsetting when something goes bad before you’re able to finish it. Fortunately, there are several frugal hacks you can use to extend the shelf life of fruits, vegetables and other perishable items.
To find the best hacks available, GOBankingRates scoured the Reddit r/Frugal community for tips that frugal living experts use themselves. Here are some of the top hacks they shared.
Wrap Lettuce in Tin Foil
Reddit user pumpjockey shared their favorite way for extending the life of romaine lettuce.
“I recently discovered that if you wrap individual romain[e] lettuce heads in tin foil they will last a month or more in the fridge, unwilted and crispy as the day you bought them,” they wrote.
Store Ripe Avocados in the Fridge
Nothing is worse than slicing open an avocado, only to find it is brown and mushy. Fortunately, there’s a hack to prevent this.
“Avocados last for weeks in the fridge,” said user Boring_Energy_4817. “You can let it ripen on the counter and then put it in the fridge, and it’ll stay perfect for at least a week.”
Grow Your Own Onions
You don’t need a garden to grow your own onions.
“You can regrow green onions in a jar of water,” said user eye-reen. “You only need to use the tops. I’m on my third growth cycle [from] a single $2 [onion] right now.”
Store Basil in Water
User EatMorePieDrinkMore said to “treat basil like fresh flowers — snip the end, put in a vase or glass of water, and store on your counter.”
Add a Dash of Salt to Milk
Milk spoils notoriously quickly, but you can extend its life with this unconventional frugal hack.
“Put 1/2 [teaspoon of] salt in a fresh gallon of milk on first use and shake,” said user JacquieTorrance. “[It can last] two to three weeks without spoiling — [and you] can’t taste [the salt] at all.”
Soak Berries in Vinegar
User ScatteredDahlias shared a hack for making berries stay fresh longer: “Soak berries in water with a little vinegar for about 20 minutes, then put in a Tupperware container with a paper towel at the bottom. They’ll stay good in the fridge for at least 10 days and will never ever get moldy.”
More From GOBankingRates
