Food waste in America is kind of a hot mess. Seriously, in 2012, Americans ended up wasting nearly 40% of all the food we produced. To make sure you do actually use what you buy, get hip to storing fruits and veggies so they'll last.

• Veggies need room and air to breathe in the fridge. Wrap them loosely, or if they're in a plastic container, punch holes to allow for airflow. Chop the ends off your veggies before storing in the fridge, and place herb roots in water.

• If you wash your greens, pat them dry, wrap them in a paper towel, and put them in a plastic bag. They last longer this way.

• Delicate fruits like bell peppers, grapes, citrus and berries should go in the fridge to stay fresh, while tomatoes, mangoes, melons, apples, pears, and avocados can be left on the countertop (note that they will continue to ripen).

• Never store fruits and veggies together, as fruits give off high levels of the ripening agent ethylene. Before you know it, your perfectly good veggies are now in the trash bin. Bananas ripen especially fast, and will cause anything near them to ripen with a quickness as well. Keep them in their own little corner, and if you're not ready to use them, peel and freeze.