I was raised by parents who came through hard times from the war, so this was a value in our home.

Have a backup plan for leftover fruits and veggies.
If lunches don't use the leftovers, try to create
meals that do. Treat the family to a special dessert
if berries are ready to go bad, or bake banana bread
if a few brown bananas are around. Freeze small por-
tions of leftover vegetables in bags. When enough
bags accumulate, cook a pot of vegetable stew with
them. If milk is nearing its expiration date, put
pudding on the menu. Offer a night of soup and
sandwiches, making a cream soup with the extra milk.
Make up your mind never to throw anything away.