Thrifty Thinking: Reduce Food Waste and Save Money with These Mindful Holiday Shopping Tips From Shopmium!

 Americans throw away $165 billion in wasted food every year, according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a nonprofit environmental action group. During the holidays, when many of us are shopping outside our normal budgets to entertain (or spending more time being entertained, which means fewer meals at home), it's undoubtedly a time when food waste is at an all time high!

But there are some easy ways we can all do our part to minimize food waste over the holidays, while also saving some bucks at the store (high prices, we see you) thanks to these tips from Shopmium Savings Expert Lisa Thompson:

1.     Cut back on perishables. Perishable items like dairy, fresh fruits, and veggies are unforgiving if not eaten or stored properly —not surprisingly, this food category makes up the most of overall food waste. If you find yourself throwing away a lot of dairy or produce, try freezing certain items before they go bad (to use in soups or smoothies later), or just cut back on the amount you purchase. It’s better to make a quick trip to the store if you run out of an item or two later, than to have to end up throwing away food...and money. 

 

2.     Swap fresh for canned or frozen.  Frozen produce is often picked at the peak of its season, which means it’s equally as tasty and packed with the same nutrients as the fresh stuff. While frozen produce items usually have nothing extra added, you will want to pay more attention to the nutritional label of canned fruits and veggies which can contain added sugar or salt.

 

Pro tip: Use the new Shopmium app to find cash back offers on canned and frozen fruits and veggies. Not only will you be cutting down on food waste, but you’ll be also earning cash back on what you do buy. These offers can be used at any store you’d like, as long as you get a receipt to redeem your cash back savings.

 

3.     Shop less when you plan to be away from home.  If you have a calendar stacked with food-filled gatherings like Friendsgivings or other holiday get-togethers, or even holiday travel, be sure to consider that when you’re grocery shopping and cut back on the amount of items you purchase, or prepare to at least buy fewer perishable items that week/s!

 

4.     Shop your pantry. During the holiday season, we’re often making new dishes, trying festive new recipes, and diving into seasonings and ingredients we don’t use for everyday cooking. Before you splurge on items you may only need for a rare occasion, check to see what you have on hand already. Can you use any substitutes? Or are there things in your pantry or freezer you can build a recipe around? Take inventory of what you have already and see if you can create something new. If you’re really set on going all out for the holidays, at least try to repurpose those items for a few different dishes later on—and check the Shopmium app to see if it's eligible for a cash back offer! 

 

5.     Share purchases with local friends or family. If you’re just buying for one or two, you may find that it’s difficult to keep from wasting food, especially if you love to shop at warehouse club stores like Sam’s or Costco. Easy solution: Split purchases. You might not need five avocados this week, but if you have neighbors or friends who would split that bag with you, you all win (great value, no waste). Also, did you know: Cash back offers in the Shopmium app work at membership stores! Just save your receipt.

 

 

The Shopmium app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.  For more information visit www.shopmium.com/us. Hi-res images available - HERE

Connect with Shopmium on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/shopmiumus/    

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About Quotient

Quotient (NYSE: QUOT) is the leading digital promotions and media technology company that creates cohesive omnichannel brand-building and sales-driving opportunities to deliver valuable outcomes for advertisers, retailers and consumers. The Quotient platform is powered by exclusive consumer spending data, location intelligence and purchase intent data to reach millions of shoppers daily and deliver measurable, incremental sales.

Quotient partners with leading advertisers, publishers and retailers, including Clorox, Procter & Gamble, General Mills, Unilever, CVS, Dollar General and Peapod Digital Labs, a company of Ahold Delhaize USA. Quotient is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has offices across the US as well as in Bangalore, Paris, London and Tel Aviv. For more information visit www.quotient.com.