How to reduce food waste

Cutting food waste is a delicious way of saving money, helping to feed the world and protecting the planet. 

Food waste is a big problem. It comes from the leftovers we say we will eat most of the time but ends up at the back of the fridge, forgotten for days. Or when we buy too much produce and forget to eat it. So, here are some ideas to help you combat your food waste problem.  

• Plan out your meals for the week - if you work out what you are having for the week. You can then plan your meals, so they all include similar ingredients. 

• Always make a shopping list - making a shopping list means that you aren’t walking around the grocery store, buying things you don’t need. (Don’t worry, we have done this before). 

• Don’t overbuy - we seem to have a thing about buying too much and in bulk when we don’t need to. Work out how much you are eating and how much you are letting go bad in the fridge. 

• Love your freezer - freezing your extra food can extend its shelf life and reduces food waste. You can freeze pretty much everything, just make sure you write a label with what it is and the date you froze it. 

• Store your food properly - this means you have to take out your fruits and veg from their original packaging and place them in suitable containers. 

• Airtight containers for your berries                                                                   
• Potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, cucumbers and onions should never be refrigerated. These items should be kept at room temperature. 

• Stop using the peeler - use a vegetable scrubber instead, as you can eat the peel. This will reduce the amount of food waste you are throwing away. If you do peel your vegetables, keep the skins and make a stock or soup out of them. 

• Keep a list of all the food waste you throw out - having an idea of what you throw out throughout your week can help you understand where you can make changes to your lifestyle and help reduce the amount of food you are wasting without realising.