fr fr i feel like such a horrible loser whenever i throw out groceries, esp produce. how do people plan their lives out perfectly such that it seems like this never happens to a proper adult
I cheat. I only buy stuff the minute before I actually want or need it, but this only works when you live a 30 second walk from a grocery store.
At that point, why bring stuff into my fridge for me to plan around, when I can treat the grocer like it's my fridge? Time to cook? Takes me 10 minutes to come back with exactly what I need, and then I instantly use it. Doesn't even go into the fridge.
Also, potatoes last longer than you might think. They are still fine to eat for several days after they sprout. Just break the sprouts off and prepare them like normal. Because of this they are one of the few things I keep in my fridge all the time.
I end up structuring my diet based on what spoils first, so I check what I have available and generally eat what is most likely to spoil first. It gets tricky when I buy too many groceries all at once.
I make a meal plan for every week and only buy ingredients I need for those meals. Saves me money by having me buy only the things I definitely need, and time by having to make only a single trip to the grocery store each week.
Just pick 7-10 daily meals you intend to make on your own and buy only what it takes to make those things. I never throw food out, but only because I only buy what I know my family will eat. Then every 1-1 5 weeks I buy that again.