Love Food Hate Waste release their top ten tips to reduce food waste

• Mar. 8 by Katie Wood (4)

Love Food Hate Waste has listed their top ten tips on how to reduce the amount of food waste we produce.

Love Food Hate Waste has revealed that due to poor portion control and buying a lot of fresh food that goes off before we have the chance to use it, means we throw away nearly a third of all food we buy.

The organisation has produced a top ten list to help reduce the amount of waste produced so we protect the environment but also save us the consumers’ money. Sarah Beeny from the organisation states “It’s awful how much food we waste. With a couple of key ingredients and a little imagination, you can turn almost any leftovers into a tasty dish.”

The top ten list reads as follows (Taken from www.lovefoodhatewaste.com)

1. Write a List.
   Menu plan your meals for the week. Check your fridge and cupboards for existing ingredients and then write the shopping list for the extras you need.
2. Stick to the list.
   Take your list with you when you go shopping and stick to it! Do not be tempted by any in store offers that you do not need.
3. Keep a healthy fridge
   Check that the seals on your fridge are good and also check the fridge temperature. Food needs to be stored between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius for maximum freshness and longevity.
4. Don’t throw it away
   Fruit that is going soft can be made into smoothies or fruit pies. Vegetables that are starting to wilt can be made into soup.
5. Use up your leftovers
   Instead of scraping leftovers into the bin, why not use them for tomorrow’s ingredients? A bit of tuna could be added to pasta and made into a pasta bake or a tablespoon of cooked vegetables can be used as the basis for a hot pot meal.
6. Rotate
   When you buy food from the store, bring the older items from the back to the front and place the new at the back therefore reducing the risk of food going out of date or turning mouldy.
7. Serve small amounts
   Serve small amounts of food with the understanding that everyone can come back for more once they have cleared their plate. Unused food can be cooled and used another day.
8. Buy what you need
   Buy loose fruits and vegetables instead of pre-packed, and then you are able to buy the exact amount you need. This can also apply to foods that you buy at a Deli counter such as meats and cheeses.
9. Freeze
   If you only eat a small amount of bread, then freeze it when you get home and take out a few slices a couple of hours before you need them. The same applies to meals, why not make a bigger batch and then freeze the excess and use as ready meals when you are to tired to cook.
10. Turn it into garden food.
    Some food waste is unavoidable, so why not set up a compost bin for fruit and vegetable peelings? In a few months you will end up with compost for your plants.

For more information and tips on how to reduce food waste see www.lovefoodhatewaste.com