12 ways to make food last longer including how to organise your fridge, as supermarkets make date changes to cut food waste

Sixty pounds worth of food is thrown out by the average household every month says the latest investigations into our shopping habits.

But with people's budgets buckling under the strain of the cost of living crisis can more be done to halt the amount of produce we condemn to the bin?

1. Be clear about dates

Numerous supermarkets and food retailers have confirmed in recent months plans to abandon use by dates in favour of best before dates on hundreds of products.

Mostly affecting fruit, vegetables, salad items, herbs and other indoor plants - the aim is to encourage people to not throw out perfectly good food just because the date might suggest it should be disposed of. Dairy products such as milk and yoghurts are also being subjected to the change in some stores where shoppers will be encouraged to utilise the 'sniff test' once food has been at home a few days to decide whether it is still suitable to eat.

Families throw out an estimated £700 of food every year, says WRAP which campaigns to reduce waste, and it is hoped the changes will encourage people to pay more attention to the quality and condition of their food rather than just its expiry date.

It's important to remember a use-by date on food is about safety and the most important date to follow. You can eat food with a use by date up until that day but not after, as it is used for foods that can go off quickly such as meat products or ready to eat salads. This is the most important date to remember.

Best before dates, however, reflect food quality and not safety, so while a product is still safe to eat after the stamped date has passed it will come down to households to assess the quality of the food once it's been hanging around a while.

2. Don't cut produce before storing it

Cut fruit and vegetables will deteriorate much more quickly as the air gets to the inside of the flesh they can soften and go bad, even if they're in a cold fridge.

Avoid cutting anything if you intend on storing it for a few days and if you've been forced to slice an item - like a cucumber for example - and put the remainder back wrapped or stored properly to lengthen its life span.

3. Beware of a bad apple

One bad apple can indeed spoil the bunch so if you spot something which is on the turn or looks bad be sure to remove it from other food it is coming into contact with. The bacteria which decays food can quickly spread to other items it is sandwiched against so remove the rotten items and don't leave them to fester.

4. Pay attention to temperatures

The ideal fridge temperature, says retailer Currys, is between 3C and 5C (37F to 40F) while your freezer temperature should be at -18C or 0F.

It is also worth remember that it takes about 24 hours for your appliance to fully adjust to any changes you make so this is something worth bearing in mind if you have to turn off your appliance for any reason or put food into your freezer after you've defrosted it to make it work more efficiently.

5. Chop and freeze

If you've items like onions that could go bad before you get a chance to use them then adopt the chop and freeze preservation method. They can be stored in an airtight container or reuseable food bag that will enable you to shake out the amount you need when you want them. Fresh herbs you have been unable to use up can also be frozen and stored too.

For other vegetables you think might go past their best before you have a chance to eat them, the advice is to blanch them briefly, refresh in ice cold water before drying and freezing them for future use. Bread is also best within two or three days so there's no harm in using a re-usable bag to store unwanted slices in your freezer that you can take out when you require them.

6. Use fridge shelves for different foods

Alongside ensuring that your fridge is operating at the ideal temperature there is still merit in stacking your fridge in a certain way.

It is still possible for temperatures to differ slightly between the levels in your appliance so Which? recommends not just throwing items in merrily when you unpack the weekly shop.

Raw meat, fish and seafood should always be kept between zero and 3C and so should be put into the bottom shelves or in compartments at the base from both a food safety point of view and to keep them suitably chilled.

Items like butter and cheese are less perishable than fresh meet and can therefore be kept a little higher up. Condiments, which you prefer to keep inside your fridge, are less likely to spoil than some fresh food and so these are an excellent choice for those higher shelves or top compartments in the door.

7. Separate fruit and veg

Do you bundle fruit and vegetables into a drawer or shelf with very little thought?

Storing fruit and vegetables together can speed up the ripening process for some items as veggies can give off a natural gas called ethylene, which can over-ripen other food like soft fruit such as strawberries and raspberries.

Where possible - separate your fruit and vegetables with the latter in a drawer where you can.

8. Close that door!

How many times is the fridge door left ajar while you drop a dash of milk into a cuppa or while the kids stare idly into the shelves looking for a snack? Don't ever underestimate how much warm air from the kitchen can flood into the fridge when you leave the door open, say energy experts.

Alongside meaning that your appliance will have to then work harder to cool the inside core temperature back down - which risks adding to your energy bills - humid air frequently creeping into shelves also risks affecting the potential life span of some foods.

9. Use your fridge to defrost

The Food Standards Agency says it is important to remember that freezing food will not kill any harmful bacteria in food and that can be revived as an item defrosts itself.

When food is above 8C bacteria can grow - which means it is most safe to let your frozen food thaw in the fridge rather than on the kitchen counter top. Just be cautious about pools of water that may develop, particularly if ice and condensation drips off packaging, so be sure to ensure you're defrosting foods in the bottom of the fridge where it can't leak onto other food and clean up any mess or puddles afterwards.

10. Vinegar baths

The internet is somewhat divided over the suggestion that washing produce in vinegar is a worthwhile hack before putting it away.

Some households swear by a vinegar bath of one part vinegar and three parts water for vegetables and fruit - using the acid in the vinegar to kill off any bacteria that is lingering on the surface of the food that might speed up the decaying process - before washing thoroughly in clear water after a temporary soak in the home-made disinfectant.

However others express caution that washing produce can introduce more moisture to the items and putting wet fruit and vegetables back into a fridge can very quickly turn them soggy.

So if you're going to attempt the hack to see if it can lengthen the life of your fresh produce - perhaps ensure its dry once rinsed off and stored with some kitchen paper to absorb any remaining drips.

11. Protect your potatoes
Potatoes are among the foods to have rocketed in price in the last year - up by almost a fifth - and we throw out an estimated five million tonnes every year in the UK. Yet they remain one of the most versatile foods readily available to us and are often cheaper when bought in bulk or larger quantities.

Light and moisture can encourage the skin of a potatoes to rot rapidly and so storing them carefully is key to getting the most from your purchase over a longer period of time.

Potatoes require a cool dark storage space that's relatively well ventilated - with cupboards, cardboard boxes and wicker baskets all proving useful when it comes to keeping your supply going for as long as possible. Avoid storing them in plastic or with onions, which are among the foods to give off ethylene gas that could over ripen or rot your other food.

12. Re-package foods

The plastic bags retailers sell food in can sometimes cause items to sweat and introduce moisture and condensation you don't need. Foods like mushrooms already contain a high water content and so taking them out of plastic and placing them in paper bags or towels can often stop them rotting prematurely.

Don't be afraid to repackage items once you've brought them home if you think their shelf life will be prolonged by alternative storage.

The fruits and vegetables you keep at room temperature - for example in a fruit bowl - will benefit from being kept loosely, with plenty of ventilation in a cool space so its advisable to take items like bananas and apples out of their plastic bags. Celery stalks wrapped in damp paper towel and put in the fridge can often lengthen their shelf life while keeping the base of asparagus in water inside the fridge can also help.