These charts show how long food will last in your fridge before spoiling

It’s not uncommon for people to load their fridge up with groceries, only to find that all the food has spoiled before they’ve gotten around to using it. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Up to 40 percent of the food in the United States is never eaten, according to the NRDC.

Food waste is not only bad for your wallet, but it’s also bad for the environment, so making sure your food gets consumed is something we should all be focusing on. And while keeping track of how long you’ve had your food and how long it will last can be overwhelming, luckily, there are some resources available that can help. These printables from meal planning service Cook Smarts, for instance, contain information on when to freeze your fresh produce, how to freeze it and when they it expires.

These guides can be printed onto regular-sized paper, laminated and hung onto the fridge for easy access to information. You can even laminate the pages and use a dry-erase marker to keep track of all your groceries’ expiration dates. The first printable includes the shelf life for popular produce:

The second contains three pages explaining how to properly freeze and store each type of food, a list that includes produce and other common foods such as pizza, bread, and even pesto:

By using these guides, you can store your produce at peak ripeness and save yourself some money, instead of tossing your food when you forget to use it.

Save the printables directly from here, or visit the Cook Smarts website to get the PDF version emailed to you, as well as to receive additional information on eliminating food waste. We’re on board with anything that can help us eat healthier, save money and contribute to global health. Never lose another fruit to spoilage again!

[h/t: Lifehacker]