Many of us were told as we were growing up to clean our plates. Our parents and grandparents had lived through hard times and knew that wasted food meant wasted money. Their concerns were understandable but cleaning your plate can result in unwanted weight gain if you put too much on your plate when you serve yourself.

Buying more food than we can use, preparing more food than we can eat, serving large portions and storing food improperly all contribute to the problem of good food ending up as garbage. About $15 out of every $100 spent on food in the United States is wasted because of discarded food. This is a burden on our household budgets and municipal landfills.

To reduce the chance of throwing away hard earned money in the form of excess or spoiled food:

#&149; Keep a running grocery list on or next to the refrigerator (and remember to take it with you when you go to the grocery store) so that you buy only what you need.

#&149; Don't buy foods in large quantities unless you are feeding a large group or have room to properly store what you can't use immediately.

#&149; Buy perishable foods more frequently and in smaller amounts. If you need only a small amount of sliced sandwich meat or cheese, buy it in the deli section rather than prepackaged.

#&149; When you put foods into the refrigerator or cupboard, be sure that foods that need to be used soon get moved to the front where you can see them.

#&149; Store grain products, such as rice and noodles, in sealed glass or plastic containers.

#&149; Keep whole wheat flour and nuts for baked goods in the freezer to prevent rancidity.

#&149; Store potatoes, onions and winter squash in a cool, dark location and check frequently for spoilage.

#&149; Use stale bread for croutons or bread crumbs.

#&149; Use leftover meats and vegetables in soups and stews.

#&149; If you don't want leftovers, cook smaller amounts.

#&149; Freeze perishable, refrigerated foods that you can't eat within a day or two and put a date on the containers.

#&149; Use extra ripe fruit in smoothies or fruit sauces.

#&149; Let your children check for expiration dates on refrigerated foods and tell you which ones need to be used up.

Most fresh vegetables need refrigeration but winter squash can be stored for three to six months at cool room temperature. The farmers markets in Cayuga County have several varieties of hard-shelled squash at bargain prices until the end of October.

For a taste of a perfect fall recipe, come to the Cornell Cooperative Extension table at the Auburn Farmers Market Thursday, Oct. 23.

Christine Gutelius, MA, RD, CDN, is a nutrition resource

educator with the Eat Smart NY program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County

Squash Apple Bake

Makes 8 (3/4 cup) servings

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon grated orange rind (optional)

4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

2 medium apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup apple cider, apple juice or orange juice

1 tablespoon margarine

Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon and orange rind (if using). Coat a baking pan or casserole dish with nonstick spray. Layer squash cubes and apple slices in the pan, sprinkling each layer with raisins and the brown sugar mixture. Dot the top layer with margaine. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until squash is tender but not mushy.

- Source: Modified from “Fix It and Enjoy It Diabetic Cookbook”