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Did you know?

If food waste were a country, it'd be the 3rd biggest greenhouse gas emitter — behind only the US and China.

Compost + preserve →
Preserve · Revive · Compost

Make it last longer.
Compost what won't.

Practical tricks — no fluff. Freeze it right, store it smart, revive what wilted, and give scraps a second life.

Freeze Store right Can & pickle Compost

Food-by-food cheatsheet

  • 🍌

    Bananas

    Compost: green

    StoreSkin browns but flesh stays good 5-7 days.

    FreezePeel, chunk, freeze on a tray — smoothies & banana bread forever.

    ReviveOverripe? Bake into bread or pancakes.

    Store away from other fruit — they ripen fast.

  • 🫐

    Berries

    Compost: green

    StoreDon't wash until eating; store dry with a paper towel.

    FreezeRinse, dry, freeze in a single layer, bag up.

  • 🍞

    Bread

    Compost: green

    StoreSkip the fridge — it stales bread faster.

    FreezeSlice first, freeze in a bag. Toast straight from frozen.

    ReviveStale? Sprinkle with water, bake 5 min at 350°F.

  • 🥬

    Leafy greens

    Compost: green

    StoreWrap in a dry paper towel, sealed bag, crisper drawer.

    FreezeBlanch 30s, ice bath, dry, freeze for soups/smoothies.

    ReviveWilted? 10-min ice water bath brings them back.

  • 🌿

    Herbs (soft)

    Compost: green

    StoreStems in a glass of water like flowers, loose bag on top.

    FreezeChop into ice cube trays with olive oil or water.

    Basil, cilantro, parsley, dill

  • 🌱

    Herbs (hard)

    Compost: green

    StoreWrap in slightly damp paper towel, sealed bag.

    FreezeWhole sprigs in a bag; strip while frozen.

    Rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano

  • 🍅

    Tomatoes

    Compost: green

    StoreCounter until ripe, then fridge to buy time.

    FreezeWhole — skins slip off under warm water for sauce.

  • 🥑

    Avocado

    Compost: green

    StoreCut half: lemon juice + airtight container, 1-2 days.

    FreezeMash with lemon juice, freeze in portions.

    Pit + skin are compostable but slow.

  • 🧅

    Onions & garlic

    Compost: green

    StoreCool, dark, dry — NOT the fridge (goes soft).

    FreezeChop and freeze raw in a bag; add straight to the pan.

  • 🥔

    Potatoes

    Compost: green

    StoreCool dark cupboard, away from onions.

    FreezeOnly cooked (mashed, roasted, fries). Raw goes black.

  • 🍚

    Rice (cooked)

    Compost: green

    StoreCool within 1 hour, eat within 3-4 days.

    FreezePortion flat in bags — reheats in 90 seconds.

  • 🥛

    Milk

    Not backyard

    StoreBack of the fridge, not the door (temp swings).

    FreezeYes — pour a splash out first, shake after thawing.

    Dairy goes to municipal green bin, not backyard compost.

  • 🧀

    Cheese (hard)

    Not backyard

    StoreWrap in wax/parchment, then loose plastic.

    FreezeGrate first — great for cooking, texture changes.

  • 🥚

    Eggs

    Compost: brown

    StoreIn the carton, middle shelf. Float test if unsure.

    FreezeCrack, beat lightly, freeze in ice cube trays.

    Shells only — crush first to speed breakdown.

  • 🥩

    Meat & fish

    Not backyard

    StoreColdest shelf, use within 1-2 days.

    FreezePortion, wrap tight, label with date. 3-6 months.

    Never backyard compost — attracts pests.

  • 🫘

    Cooked beans

    Compost: green

    Store4-5 days in their liquid.

    FreezeIn their cooking liquid, flat in bags.

  • 🍋

    Citrus

    Compost: green

    StoreCrisper drawer, weeks longer than the counter.

    FreezeZest first! Juice into ice cube trays.

    Slow to break down — chop small.

  • 🍎

    Apples

    Compost: green

    StoreCrisper drawer, away from other produce.

    FreezeSlice, toss in lemon juice, freeze for baking.

  • 🍄

    Mushrooms

    Compost: green

    StorePaper bag, never plastic — they need to breathe.

    FreezeSauté first, then freeze. Raw gets slimy.

  • 🥣

    Yogurt

    Not backyard

    StoreSealed, back of fridge. Trust smell over date.

    FreezeFreezes fine for smoothies; texture breaks for eating.

Freezing 101

  1. 1

    Cool it first

    Warm food raises freezer temperature and re-thaws neighbors. Wait until room temp before bagging.

  2. 2

    Flat, not lumpy

    Freeze sauces, stock, and leftovers flat in zip bags. They stack, thaw in minutes, and free up shelf space.

  3. 3

    Portion for real life

    One person's dinner, not a family's. You're way more likely to actually use it.

  4. 4

    Label everything

    Date + contents in permanent marker. "Mystery brown 2024" is a compost destiny.

  5. 5

    Blanch veg

    Green beans, broccoli, greens: 30-60s boil, ice bath, dry, freeze. Kills the enzymes that turn them mushy.

Rough shelf life: cooked meals 2-3 months · raw meat 3-6 months · bread 3 months · fruit 6-12 months.

Store it right

  • Fridge zones matter. Door = warmest (condiments only). Top = leftovers. Middle = dairy. Bottom = raw meat. Crispers = produce.
  • Separate ethylene producers. Apples, bananas, tomatoes, avocados release ethylene gas and ripen neighbors fast. Keep them alone.
  • Roots love the dark. Potatoes, onions, garlic, squash: cool dry cupboard, never the fridge.
  • Herbs = flowers. Stems in water, loose bag on top, back in the fridge (except basil — leave it on the counter).
  • Leftovers within 2 hours. Shallow containers cool faster and stay safer.

Revive, don't toss

  • Wilted greens: 10 minutes in ice water. They stand right back up.
  • Stale bread: Splash of water, 5 min at 350°F. Or blitz into breadcrumbs.
  • Soft carrots/celery: Ice water bath, 30 min. Snappy again.
  • Overripe fruit: Smoothies, jam, banana bread, roasted with pork.
  • Sour milk (not spoiled): Pancakes, biscuits, marinades.
  • Vegetable ends & scraps: Freezer bag → homemade stock when full.

Canning & quick pickles

Not ready for pressure canners? Start with refrigerator pickles — no special equipment, ready in 24 hours, keeps ~1 month.

Basic pickle brine

1 cup vinegar (white or apple cider) · 1 cup water · 1 tbsp salt · 1 tbsp sugar. Simmer, pour over veg in a jar, cool, fridge.

Works on: cucumbers, red onion, carrots, radishes, green beans, cauliflower.

For shelf-stable canning (water bath, pressure), follow tested recipes from your national food-safety authority — botulism is not a "wing it" situation.

Composting basics

Compost is a ratio game: greens (wet, nitrogen) + browns (dry, carbon). Aim roughly 1:2 greens to browns by volume.

✅ Greens (wet)

  • Fruit & veg scraps
  • Coffee grounds & filters
  • Fresh grass clippings
  • Plant trimmings
  • Tea bags (no plastic)

🍂 Browns (dry)

  • Dry leaves
  • Cardboard (torn small)
  • Newspaper
  • Wood chips / sawdust
  • Crushed egg shells

❌ Never (backyard)

Meat, fish, bones, dairy, oils, cooked food with sauces, pet waste, glossy paper. These attract pests and go rancid. Many cities' municipal green bins accept them — check your local program.

No yard? No problem.

  • Countertop electric composters (Lomi, Mill) — 4-24 hrs, apartment-friendly.
  • Bokashi bucket — ferments scraps under the sink, meat/dairy OK.
  • Worm bin (vermicompost) — quiet, odorless, kids love it.
  • Freezer stash + drop-off — bag scraps in the freezer, drop at a farmer's market or community garden.

Every skip of the trash counts.

A third of the food produced worldwide gets thrown away. You're not fixing that alone — but you're not nothing, either.

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