FIFO sounds like corporate jargon but it’s actually useful in your kitchen. First In, First Out. Oldest stuff gets used first.
Why It Works
Most food waste happens because we forget what’s in the back of the fridge. New groceries go in front, old stuff gets shoved behind, discovered three weeks later as a science experiment.
FIFO fixes this. Simple rotation system.
How To Actually Do It
When new groceries arrive, move old stuff to the front. New stuff goes behind. Takes 30 seconds during unpacking.
Same with leftovers. Date them. Put newest in back. When grabbing something to eat, take from the front.
The Labeling Part
Masking tape and sharpie. Write the date on everything that goes in the fridge. Every container. Every bag.
Future you will thank present you. Future you always forgets when things were made.
Freezer Too
FIFO applies to frozen stuff too. Things don’t last forever in there – they get freezer burned and weird. Rotate your stock.
Results
We throw out maybe a quarter of what we used to. That’s real money. Also less guilt looking at vegetables that liquefied because I forgot about them.
Takes minimal effort once it’s habit. A few weeks of conscious rotation and it becomes automatic.
