7 Inexpensive Storage Solutions That’ll Have You Wasting Way Less Food

Letting food spoil before you can get to it is always a bad thing. (An understatement, we know.) And it’s especially bad these days, during this global pandemic. Wasting food right now means a few things — most notably that you’re throwing away money (which may be tighter than ever, depending on your current work situation) and that you might need to make an earlier-than-planned trip to the grocery store (putting you, your family, and the other folks at the store at risk). So, yeah, it’s extra important that we make our food last and use up every last bit.

That’s why we’ve decided to round up some of our favorite food storage solutions to help you keep food waste to a minimum. These are all smarter than just the average container (which you probably already have in spades) and cost just $20 or less.

These silicone cups, um, hug your cut produce to keep your leftovers fresh until you can use them. We mostly use them for tomatoes, lemons, and onions. Oh, and they make great covers for, say, cans of half-eaten dog food if your pup doesn’t get the whole thing in one night.

Buy: Food Huggers, $9 for four at Uncommon Goods

If you feel like spring-loaded clips never fully seal a bag, we agree with you. That’s where these sticks come in: They span the entire length of the package. One of our writers tried these out and got the rest of the staff totally hooked. They’re not only made for bags of chips, though — we also use them for sealing up frozen veggies, bread bags, candy wrappers, and more.

Buy: GripStic, $20 for 12

Whether you’re making stock from scratch (that’s a resourceful to way put scraps to good use!) or buying it in a can or box, freezing it is a smart way to ensure it lasts. This is basically a larger ice cube tray and freezes stock in one-cup cubes, so that you can pull out what you need, as you need it.

Buy: Souper Cubes, $20 at Sur la Table

Although we usually dislike unitaskers, this tool is the single best way to keep guacamole fresh (and guac is a smart option for your soon-to-go-bad avocados). It creates an airtight seal that keeps oxygen out, which, in turn, prevents browning.

Buy: Guac-Lock, $20 at The Grommet

Delicate fresh herbs don’t last super long in the fridge, but this gadget from OXO can buy you some more time. Just stick the herbs inside the green cage and it’ll promote air flow to extend the life of parsley, cilantro, and more.

Buy: OXO Greensaver Herb Keeper, $20 at Sur la Table

We know that a lot of you are making sourdough from scratch these days. So allow us to suggest this reusable food wrap for storing your loaf once you’ve started slicing into it. Made from organic cotton, beeswax, and jojoba oil, the wrap uses the warmth of your hands to mold it around your food and only gets better as you use it. Fun fact: It’s one of the 105 items on our Kitchn Essentials list.

Buy: Bee’s Wrap Reusable Food Wraps, $18 at Food52

Another bag clip alternative, this mini sealer uses heat to re-seal just about anything that comes in a bag. And it legitimately works. If you love to snack or only snack occasionally, this will keep chips and pretzels from going stale between sessions.

Buy: Segminismart Mini Bag Sealer, $11

What are you doing to waste less food while we try to stay home as much as possible?