Love food, hate waste? Time to start using up those leftovers
Leftovers - they sit in the fridge for days on end whilst you ponder their potential use, before eventually ending up in the bin.
According to Love Food, Hate Waste, in the UK we throw away over seven million tonnes of waste each year, which in turn costs the average family around £680 per year (£50 a month), and also costing the environment. If we were to stop wasting so much food that could have been eaten, the CO2 impact would be equivalent to that of taking one in five cars off the road - so what are you waiting for? There is no better time to start than now, at the start of a new year, which will hopefully end with you having more cash in your pocket and wasting a lot less food.
Here are some handy tips to help you on your way:
Measure out ingredients
The main source of food waste is simply cooking/preparing too much, which results in meals which are left on plates being scraped away, and remainders in the pan just getting chucked out. Measuring out your ingredients means you can make just enough food for the number of people you are cooking for.
Ideal servings (for ONE adult)
Rice: 1/4 of a mug/approx 75ml (dried)
Mashed potato: two heaped tablespoons
Roast potatoes: five small potatoes
Pasta: 100g (dried)
Try to stick to these portion sizes, as it is usually carbohydrates which we overestimate and see the most waste of.
Check the best before/sell by dates
Not eating food in time before it goes 'off' is another cause of waste. It's important to check the dates on the fresh food when purchasing it, and look for the longest dates possible.
Freeze
Don't forget that a lot of food can be frozen to prolong its life, which is particularly useful when you take full advantage of supermarket promotions and return with more than you bargained for. If you have enough leftovers for just one person, pop them in a freezer-proof container and freeze them too. It might seem like a small portion to save, but they always come in handy.
Know the difference
Use by: Food can be eaten up until the use by date given on packaging, but not after - even if it looks/smells like it is OK.
Best before: Merely a guideline suggesting when the food is at its best. After this date, the food might not taste as great, but it is still safe to eat. The only exception to this is eggs. You should not eat eggs which have passed their best before date.
Plan meals
If you can, try to ensure that you plan meals around the ingredients which are likely to go out of date first. If you set out a week long plan of meals, you can buy just what you need, and not waste any food you may have bought 'just in case' you made a certain meal.
Keep your cupboards stocked
Having 'store-cupboard essentials' at hand will make it easier to whip up quick, simple and tasty meals, as well as adding something to whatever leftovers you are using up.
So, give these tips a try, and see the difference in the amount of food (and money!) you are wasting.
For more information, and a whole host of great recipes to use up leftovers, and create tasty, healthy meals, check out www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.
Georgia Smith