Along with eating more plants, reducing food waste is one of the most impactful things we can do to help the planet. In the UK alone, a whopping 30% of the food we buy at home goes to waste – and of this, almost three quarters is perfectly good to eat.
That's why anti-waste charity, Wrap, is dedicating a whole week of action to shine a light on how simple changes can save time, money and ultimately reduce the impact of food waste on climate change.
Ready to make a change? Here's some easy, practical tips to help you make the most of the food you buy.
Make a plan
1. Plan your meals using our very own Lunch Planner. Packed with a year’s worth of pages, recipe inspiration and space to plot your shopping list, it makes life easier, saves money and helps use everything up.
2. Make a list before you go shopping and stick to it. This stops you from buying things you don’t need, saving money and reducing food waste.
Shop smart
3. Choose wisely. Look for food with the longest use-by-date or that can be frozen if you don’t eat it in time.
4. Know your dates. You can safely ignore ‘best before’, ‘display by’ and ‘sell-by’ dates on packaging. ‘Use-by’ is the only one you need.
5. Stock the store-cupboard. Spices, cans, carbs and Merchant Gourmet pouches can help you turn today’s leftovers into tomorrow’s lunch!
Store well
6. Turn down the fridge temperature to keep food fresher for longer. It should be under 5 degrees.
7. Freeze leftover bananas, berries or mangoes to make smoothies. Simply cut fruit into small pieces and pop in a freezer bag. When you’re ready to make your smoothie, blitz with fruit juice, plant-based milk or yogurt.
8. Make greens last. Salad leaves and herbs can be frozen from fresh and added straight into sauces and stir-fries.
9. Don’t always chill. Some foods (like onions, bread and potatoes) keep better outside the fridge. Store in a cool dark place to keep fresher for longer.
Use it up
10. Use your veg peelings. Store any scraps – carrots, pepper cores, onions and garlic skins in the freezer to make a veggie stock. Once you’ve got enough veg, simply simmer with a pinch of salt, a bay leaf and any other leftover herbs.
11. Make bread last. Slice and freeze fresh bread and toast straight from the freezer, or transform stale bread into breadcrumbs, croutons and French toast!
12. Buy frozen. Frozen veg, fruit and herbs are often cheaper than fresh and help reduce food waste.
13. Nearly empty jars of condiments (mayo, mustard, chutney, chilli sauce) can be transformed into salad dressing by adding oil, vinegar and fresh herbs, replacing the lid and giving it a shake!
14. Make ‘fridge soup’ using any leftover veg and herbs that look past their best, then freeze in portions.
15. Overripe avocados are great for guacamole. Simply mash with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of chilli flakes.
