What the rescued-food total means
The planner adds the values you entered for items marked as used. That is a record of food used, not independently measured money saved. An item you would have eaten anyway is not an extra saving.
A realistic example
Suppose you use $4 of carrots and $3 of leftover rice that you had entered in the planner. Marking both used records $7. If you also buy $5 of extra ingredients, the planner does not subtract that purchase. Track those costs separately before claiming a $7 budget saving. This is a hypothetical example.
- Enter the value of the portion remaining, not the price of the whole original package.
- Choose a use-or-freeze date that fits the food's storage guidance. The planner cannot determine whether food is safe to eat.
- At the end of the week, compare groceries bought and food discarded. Keep the plan only if it helps your actual household budget.
Need a freezing method? Use the produce freezing finder. For a weekly routine, follow the seven-day pantry challenge.