Did you know that in the UK, we are wasting 5 million tonnes of edible food at home each year? In fact, the average family of four could save £70 each month by reducing food waste and becoming more savvy with their shopping and storage.
Luckily, our friends at Love Food Hate Waste have some good tips to help us get back on track and set some good food shopping habits.
It Pays to Plan
Planning your meals is the best way avoid food waste and to save money. Before you go shopping, check what’s already in your fridge, freezer and store cupboard. Write a shopping list and stick to it so you’re not tempted by offers that you don’t need or really want.
Know your Dates
Misunderstanding of food date labels is a common cause of throwing away food that is perfectly good to eat. The ‘use by’ date refers to the food safety expiration date. Do not eat food after this date but remember to remove it from its packaging and put into your brown food caddy for weekly collection. The best before date refers to food quality rather than safety. These date labels are more flexible as to whether the food can be consumed. If you’re not sure – just trust your senses.
Savvy Storage
Not sure the best place to store your food for it to last as long as possible? Food packaging will often advise what is best for the product so be sure to check
Perfect Portions
Confused by portioning, always make a little too much? When cooking rice, a quarter cup is a good measure per person. For spaghetti, have you ever notices that hole in the bottom of a spaghetti-serving spoon? That is actually there to measure on portion of spaghetti – genius!
If you do make too much food, be sure to love your leftovers by popping them in a container for lunch the next day, saving even more cash!
Creative Cooking
If you are not sure what to cook from the food you have in the house, many recipe websites will deliver you a handful of different recipes when you search for the ingredients you have. Be brave, try something new!
The Love Food Hate Waste website is also packed full of waste busting, money saving recipe ideas!
| Published: | 15/01/2018 |
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