A full fridge is a privilege
Here's 9 ways to empty yours and waste as little food as possible.
Hi, everyone! It’s Heather. Before this week’s NL, I want to share that we’re probably going to take an extended break from publishing around the holidays this year. First, we’ve been going at it nonstop for months and haven’t taken a day off to celebrate. Also, we want to have the space to reimagine what The Joint Account can be. We’ve got some grand ideas for new series, segments, partners, and ways to connect with real couples and all our readers. This isn’t happening just yet, but I want to share now in case you have thoughts or ideas for the future of TJA. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us here :) Okay, on with it!
At home, we’ve returned to some version of normal. With our new book out marinating in the world, I can unpack some of what I’ve been marinating on, too. I mean this in the figurative sense of making sense of the latest news cycle, and literally marinating meat.
Having a fully stocked fridge is a simple privilege that’s taken for granted. Admittedly, we’ve been out of routine since the middle of October due to the book launch and have spent more money on takeout and dining out and driving through than I’d like. I missed cooking. All the while, the government shutdown placed those who rely on SNAP benefits to feed their families in jeopardy, thus exposing the cracks in yet another fragile social infrastructure. I’ve been feeling pretty gross about the dichotomy of all this. Even with benefits restored, the truth remains that people see and feel evidence of an affordability crisis in big and small ways each day, from home prices to childcare to the cost of groceries.
But this isn’t new. Almost three years ago, I nearly broke the internet when I Tweeted:
Parents lost their minds, because it was true. Our children have an insatiable appetite for sweet, sweet produce, which would be a good thing, except for the price. According to the U.S.D.A’s Food Price Outlook, food prices rose faster than overall inflation in 2025. Though the “food at home” prices increased at a slower rate than “food away from home,” I think as consumers who need to make real-life choices based on their time and capacity and finances, we shouldn’t split hairs as if that distinction paints a rosier outlook. The vibes are what they are. Our weekly grocery bill falls squarely in the $200’s now, when it used to not even come close.
Often, I write about how our lives move in seasons. In more than one season, Douglas and I have paid particular attention to food—not just what we spend on it but how we consume it. When we moved into our first apartment together on our entry-level salaries in New York City, and then a decade later when we relinquished my six-figure corporate salary and benefits to have me join Bone Fide Wealth, we set guardrails and goals around food expenses. Also, in the early days of the pandemic, we learned humbling lessons about food waste that came from inventory issues on one hand and our decision to join a farm CSA on the other. From that, I personally felt compelled to improve my own sustainability practices and begin sharing them online. I want people to realize that even in the moments when external factors like jobs and pandemics and the price of berries have a profound impact on our families, we can still take little steps at home to maximize what we have and control what we can. It goes a long way.
No one is perfect—not with money, not with dining at home, not with the way we treat each other—but when we improve our practices, we see real results over time.
I started calling my adventures in leftovers the Sad Girl Lunch™. I began sharing these lunches on Instagram not only to promote sustainability and for the reasons I’ve already described, but also to normalize that most of our meals at home don’t look like a foodfluencer made them. I am a great cook who rebukes the aesthetic. My leftovers? Even uglier.
I’m fine with it, and you can be, too. It’s a much greater feat to finish the lunchmeat in your fridge than to make a 12-ingredient sandwich that wastes $25 of produce and specialty condiments you have no second use for. You might think you don’t do that, but trust, Big Internet has its way of subtly altering our decisions around what we should be spending money on in the kitchen. Just think about the holidays and your Starbucks bear cups and pumpkin butters and advent calendars of jams. (You better use all those jams, dammit. I don’t care if you spread them on brie or eat them with a spoon.)
In the past, I’ve offered readers tips on how to make the most of your food, but we’re long overdue for an update. Besides, I’ve picked up a couple more in my two years burrowed away writing a book. So, here’s a mix of something old, something new, and hopefully nothing blue (as in, mold).
Look before you shop. This is obvious but many of us skip it: take the extra five minutes to check your fridge and pantry before you hit the store.
Check dates. When you shop in person, peep the expiration dates on perishable foods. I’ve noticed more and more that foods with “Use By” dates are still on shelves at the very end of their lives. The last thing you want is to buy a bag of string beans that’s growing fuzz the next day. You want to have some runway with the items you’re bringing home.
Create a “use me now” space. The only time I really get tripped up with wasting food or leftovers is when things aren’t stored where I’m used to seeing them. Try designating a shelf or a bin for the items that are on their last breath. If that’s too much work, then at least make sure you’re moving items like the oldest cheese and yogurts to the front or top and placing newer ones behind them.
Shop with the seasons. When there’s lots of a certain ingredient available, it costs less. In the summer, I serve delicious salads filled with tomatoes and corn. I buy stone fruit, and yes, even berries, because they’re abundant, and the pricing reflects that. We switch to apples and root vegetables in the fall. Don’t be a martyr and keep buying raspberries when they’re $8.99 a carton. Not only are items overpriced when they’re not in season, but they don’t taste as good.
Store produce with care. Learn the right way to store your fruits and veggies. I assure you, it matters. This article from Real Simple can help.
Prep your bases. Make a couple of bases–like rice, quinoa, and some kinds of lettuce–to use throughout the week. Having bases already available is like a writing prompt in the kitchen and will inspire you to drum up good pairings with the produce and proteins you have available.
Win friends with salad. Contrary to the beliefs of Homer Simpson, salads are great. Salads are versatile. When I have a surplus of eggs, I make egg salad. When I have leftover chicken, I make chicken salad. If cooked pasta starts getting dry, I make a pasta salad. Anything is salad.
Don’t sleep on canned goods. I always like to keep some cans of tuna, chickpeas, hearts of palm, artichokes, and olives around, but those are just my favorites for adding protein to leftovers or sprucing up a bowl. These items have a long shelf life and aren’t super expensive, either.
Find the mush. Use it, anyway. Just because your fruits and vegetables aren’t in peak condition doesn’t mean you should toss them. If my vegetables are on the edge, I make frittatas and soups. For fruits, try smoothies, compotes, or muffins.
Let’s dig in. We’d love to hear what you’re trying at home and what’s working (or not working) for you. Email us or drop a line below.
And if you need a dose of real-life imperfection, come hang out with me on Instagram @averagejoelle, where you’ll find my Sad Girl Lunches™ and a whole lot more.
We’ve been quite busy with work events this past week, which were all great. But last Thursday afternoon, I got to attend a *very* special event: the ribbon cutting for a brand-new accessible playground at our daughters’ elementary school.
This wasn’t something that just “happened.” It was an idea brought about by several moms at a kindergarten book fair three years ago, who recognized that our town’s school playgrounds were woefully outdated and inaccessible. They formed Project Playground, a district-wide initiative that raised more than a half-million dollars to make upgrades at each elementary school.
When I look at the mothers leading the charge with this program, I see women using their grit and skills from different seasons of their lives to improve the lives of our children and members of our community. They are an excellent example of the many ways that caregivers provide. I’m so proud to know them.
The life of a showgirl (and boy)
Yahoo! Finance published our Q&A on Money Together, featuring topics I’m personally eager to talk about, like treating time as a household currency.
We sat down with Andy Hill on Marriage Kids and Money to offer insights on how to talk about money without fighting and how even doesn’t always mean fair.
We also joined Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby on The Love, Happiness, and Success Podcast. She is a delight!
Honestly, Doug and I were like ships passing in the night last week. I was in the city on Wednesday for a Power (Pause) Lunch hosted by the fantastic
, followed by a catch-up sesh with my favorite (happy birthday week, btw). Thursday night, Doug attended CNBC’s Delivering Alpha dinner right on Central Park, and on Friday night, I was right back in the city for Create & Cultivates’ fantastic Supper Club series, where I got to hear my literal hero Robin Arzon speak and make a ton of new connections.This season isn’t for the faint of heart. You’d think that because we worked on this book together, we’re doing everything together, but it’s quite the opposite given our family’s needs. Dividing and conquering and carrying each other when one of us has an unexpected opportunity or is just plain exhausted, is what’s getting us through. But I guess, this is just another example of how powerful it can be when two partners are aligned, ambitious, and want to see each other win.
Money Together has arrived! Order now in your format of choice.
Love it already? Leave us a review on Goodreads and wherever you purchased!
Want more Heather and Doug? Have us come talk love and money for your organization, virtually or IRL. Reach us here.
Connect with us on social: @averagejoelle + @dougboneparth
The content shared in The Joint Account does not constitute financial, legal, or any other professional advice. Readers should consult with their respective professionals for specific advice tailored to their situation. The information contained in this post is general in nature and for informational purposes only. It should not be considered as investment advice or as a recommendation of any particular strategy or investment product. This post is not a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any specific security. Bone Fide Wealth cannot guarantee the accuracy of information from third parties.
“You might think you don’t do that, but trust, Big Internet has its way of subtly altering our decisions around what we should be spending money on in the kitchen. Just think about the holidays and your Starbucks bear cups and pumpkin butters and advent calendars of jams.”
No, we don’t all do that.
It’s been a revelation to me to learn, thanks to social media, that so many people blow money and waste food.
I naively thought everyone tried to use up everything, and that everyone ate all their leftovers.
Something to add to your list: If you have sealed, in-date food in the fridge or on the shelves that you know you won’t get to before you travel and that will be past it’s prime by the time you return from a trip, make a plan to get that food to a community fridge or pantry before you go.