FOOD WASTE (& how to avoid it)
According to WRAP an estimated 9.5 million tonnes of food per year food was wasted in 2018 in UK households and through hospitality & food services, food manufacture, retail and wholesale sectors. This is valued at around £19 billion and associated with over 25 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. Ouch.
So what can we do? A few things.
Find your local Community Fridge - or open one yourself! This is a volunteer-led community idea where supermarkets donate their ‘out-of-date’ (but perfectly edible) food. The food is FREE for ANYONE to have.
Buy the just-as-tasty bent carrots at wonky veg box scheme Odd Box. Supermarkets tend to only sell the ‘nicely shaped’ ones, leaving the wonksters destined for the bin. Funny how much looks seem to matter…
Buy organic - same as above - looks don’t matter when what you really need is thoughtfully-grown, high-nutrition food. Lots of veg box schemes available at places like Riverford and Abel & Cole.
Plan your meals, and don’t over cook.
When shopping, always choose the items with the nearest best before date. Supermarkets HAVE to throw food away, despite the BBD being over-cautious. Usually food is fine for a bit longer. Use your common sense to judge it.
Save your left overs. Turn them into lunch. Or stick them in a soup! Get creative.
This one is such a simple idea, but we love it. Save the cut-off ends of carrots, onions, cabbage (in fact, any veg) and freeze it. Once you have a nice collection, pop it in a pan of water and simmer it for an hour or so to make a nice broth. Add some star anise for an Eastern flavour. Add lots of black pepper for a bit of a kick. Use it when you fancy soup, or even to make some pasta or rice a bit more nutritious. Add a splash to a curry, or use it to water down a too-thick sauce. It’s all added nutrition.
Blanche and freeze veggies you know you won’t eat instead of throwing away.
If you find yourself with a few odd bits of veg, make a ‘Rubbish Soup’ as my Mum calls it, or a ‘Back-of-the-fridge Bolognese’, as Sue from 365 Eco-Decisions calls it.
Buy TOAST beer. It’s made from the out of date of supermarket loaves! Genius.
Bananas! Poor old bananas. So many end up in the bin. Chop ripe ones and freeze for future smoothies. When a banana starts turning brown and unappealing, you can use them in banana bread. If you have a bunch, you can freeze the excess for the next baking session. No excuse now!