How many times have you gone to the fridge to grab a fresh ingredient, only to find that it's spoiled? It can be frustratingand downright expensiveto buy a whole bunch of good-for-you produce, only to have to compost it or throw it away.

Storing food properly will make it last longer, and planning before you go shopping will help you manage your food costs. You may want to try shopping more than once a week, and buy only what you'll be using over the next several days. Knowing the average life of commonly used vegetables will also help you keep ahead of the freshness game. Here's a quick guide.

When you get your produce home, don't make the mistake of piling it all together in a bowl. While this approach might make an attractive centerpiece, the quicker-ripening produce emits a gas that can cause others nearby to spoil. (You can use this knowledge to your advantage when you want something to ripen faster, however. Try putting an unripe avocado into a plastic bag with a fresh banana peel: the avocado should ripen twice as fast as it would otherwise).

Most fruits and vegetables should be stored unwashed, because the water remaining on the produce speeds up the deterioration process. Wash fresh produce immediately prior to use for a longer storage life. Any produce that you have cut, peeled, chopped or broken apart should be protected from air (put in a glass jar or cover with plastic) and refrigerated. Here's a quick-reference guide: print it out and put it on your fridge!

*Nuts and Seeds

Most people don't realize that nuts and seeds have a fairly short shelf life. Because of their high oil content, they go rancid if not stored properly. A good way to keep these products longer is to put them in clean glass jars and refrigerate them. This guideline applies to nuts such as almond, pine nuts, cashews, etc. as well as seeds including flax, sunflower and pumpkin. Nuts and seeds will keep even longer when stored in the freezer.