1. Write a grocery list before you shop
This sounds obvious, but most people shop from memory and end up with duplicates or forget the one thing they actually needed. A written list — on paper or in an app — stops you buying a third jar of mustard because you could not remember how many you had.
A grocery list app like ShelfTrack lets you add items by voice or barcode scan so building the list takes less time than a paper note.
2. Plan at least two or three meals before you shop
Impulse buying is the main driver of food waste. If you know you are making pasta on Tuesday and a stir-fry on Thursday, you buy exactly what those meals need. Add those ingredients to your list and nothing sits forgotten in the back of a drawer.
3. Track best-before and use-by dates
Best-before dates tell you when quality starts to decline. Use-by dates (on meat, fish, and dairy) are the safety deadline. Most households have no system for either, so things expire unnoticed in the fridge.
Saving expiry dates on your phone — by scanning the label — takes seconds and gives you a clear picture of what needs to be used first. ShelfTrack's kitchen tab shows items going off soon (within three days) and a separate past best before section so nothing hides until it is too late.
4. Follow the FIFO rule in your fridge
First In, First Out: when you unpack shopping, move older items to the front and put new ones behind. It takes ten seconds and cuts waste dramatically. Do the same in dry goods cupboards.
5. Share a live grocery list with your household
A common cause of duplicates is two people independently deciding the house needs milk or bread and both buying it. A shared list that updates in real time fixes this: when one person adds something, the other sees it before they reach the aisle.
ShelfTrack lets households share a live list with a six-digit join code — no account required. Changes on one phone appear on the other within seconds.
6. Keep a simple pantry inventory
You do not need a spreadsheet. A basic list of what is in the freezer, and a few items in the fridge that are not immediately visible, is enough to stop doubling up on things that last a long time. Review it once a week when you plan the next shop.
7. Save your receipt to remember real prices and quantities
Scanning a receipt after a shop gives you a record of exactly what you bought and what you paid. Over a few weeks you can spot patterns: you always buy four yoghurts but only eat three, or you overbuy salad that wilts before Friday.
8. Store food correctly
Most herbs last twice as long standing in a glass of water in the fridge. Bread stays fresher in a bag in the freezer than on the counter. Potatoes and onions should not be stored together. Simple storage habits can double the useful life of fresh produce.
9. Embrace the "use-it-up" meal
Once a week, look at what is about to expire and build a meal around it rather than following a recipe that requires fresh shopping. Fried rice, soups, frittatas, and pasta bakes are forgiving dishes that absorb almost anything.
10. Freeze before it is too late
Most food can be frozen much later in its life than people think. Bread, cooked rice, cheese, milk, and most leftovers freeze well. A quick five minutes moving things to the freezer before a trip away can save an entire fridge of food.
Track expiry dates and grocery lists in one place
ShelfTrack is a free Android app that combines your shopping list, pantry inventory, and best-before reminders so you can shop smarter and throw away less. No account needed for core features.
Download ShelfTrack — free on Android