Most families throw out a lot of food. We’re busy. Time slips away and all the sudden you’ve got a fridge full of mystery food. If you’re not a meal planning/prepping kind of parent you may have a bunch of random items that you got a great deal on but have no idea what to do with them. Here are some simple ways I make the most out of the food we buy.

1. Freeze it.

Target had bacon on clearance a few days ago. BACON. Sure, it expired in less than a week but that’s what the freezer is for. Now we’ve got a shelf full of bacon in the freezer and I can satisfy my family’s addiction for at least a couple of weeks. We also freeze bread. One of my personal favorites is to make fruit and yogurt into popsicles.

2. Can it.

Some of the best food is homemade food. Do you have five million cucumbers in your garden? Get a great deal on strawberries at the grocery store? Cucumbers are easily pickled. Strawberries can be made into jam. Then you can enjoy that surplus when you’re ready to.

3. Dehydrate it.

From fruit roll-ups to zucchini chips, your extra food can turn into a nice snack.

4. Repurpose it.

Leftover spaghetti noodles for our family turn into Lo Mein for our next dinner. Leftover rice can turn into fried rice or rice pudding. Bread turns into bread pudding. Milk turns into a creamy soup. Or take those overripe bananas and turn them into banana bread. Classic.

A few years ago, I had what I thought was random ingredients I wasn’t sure what to do with; cabbage, mushrooms, and bacon. I used an ingredient search recipe website to find what is now one of my family’s favorite meals. So use the power of the internet to make the most of the contents of your fridge. I hope you save some time and money along the way and maybe discover some delicious new recipes.