Brody Swain
We throw away 8.3 million tonnes of food and drink each year in the UK, when most of this food could have been eaten - it's not just peelings and bones – its good food! This week, listen out as we give you some handy tips to help reduce the amount of food that you throw away!
The greenhouse gas emissions associated with avoidable food and drink waste is the equivalent of approximately 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year - which is the equivalent of 1 in 4 cars on UK roads. It is not just the methane that is released when the food goes to landfill that is the problem but also the energy spent producing, storing and transporting the food.
The cost to UK households of wasting avoidable food and drink is £12billion per year. To the average household that means £480 per year, and for households with children the cost increases to £680 a year. UK households, by reducing food and drink waste, can save approximately £50 per month
We throw food out for two main reasons: we cook or prepare too much; we let food go off. Everyone is responsible – we all waste food, although few admit it and fewer still recognise the scale.
Here are some handy tips for reducing food waste:
- Check what is in the cupboard, fridge and freezer before going shopping
- Know what you are going to buy before you go shopping
- Plan meals in advance
- Check the dates on food regularly and use foods with the shortest date first
- Freeze foods you will not get round to eating in time
- Measure portion sizes to help avoid cooking or serving too much food
- Be creative with using up leftovers (most leftovers will keep for two days in the fridge well wrapped)
- Use the fridge to extend the shelf-life of fruit and vegetables
- Wrap fresh foods well or store in air-tight containers once opened
