Eat your food - don't bin it

We throw away huge amounts of food because we didn’t get round to eating it in time. Small changes, such as using left-over food to make new dishes, storing food correctly and using shopping lists to only buy what you really need, can make a huge difference, saving you money and time. Food waste is also a huge contributor to climate change, so making the most of it is a simple but powerful act you can make every day.

Check out Love Food Hate Waste for loads of tips for storing food. Here are some of our top tips to help cut food waste:

Don't always remove the packaging

Out of habit, many of us take fruit and veg out of its packaging as soon as we get home. Keeping it in its original packaging can keep it fresher for longer. For example, shrink wrapped cucumber will last around five times longer than non-shrink wrapped!

Keep bread out of the fridge

Don’t put bread in the fridge, as it goes stale much quicker. Bread stays fresher for longer when you store it in a cool dark place like a bread bin or a store cupboard. Bread also freezes well, so you can chuck a sliced loaf in the freezer, pull a couple of slices out at a time, and make toast (It’ll just take slightly longer to toast)

Plan

Make a weekly meal plan and take it with you when you shop. Remember to factor in 'leftover nights' too.

Keep an eye out for re-closable packs

Look out for re-closable packs to keep your opened food in peak condition for longer. If your pack doesn’t have a re-closable feature, use a bag clip, or put the opened pack in an air-tight container.

Stock up on dried food

Dried food lasts a whole lot longer than fresh and is a great option if you don’t have a freezer. Think pasta, lentils, rice, beans, quinoa, chickpeas…the list is endless

What can you freeze?

Did you know you can freeze cheese, eggs, milk, herbs and breadcrumbs?