Love food hate waste

Wasting food costs the average family £420 a year, as about a third of all food we buy ends up being thrown in the bin.

Wasted food is a waste of money and a major contributor to climate change.

If we all stopped wasting food that could have been eaten, it would have the same environmental impact as taking 1 in 5 cars off UK roads.

Love Food Hate Waste is a campaign from WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) that has lots of tasty leftover recipes, a portion calculator, top tips and date label advice to help you make the most of the food you buy.

So, if you want to save money and feed yourself, not your bin, here are five easy ways to get you started.

1. Know what's in your fridge

Check the use by dates on items in your fridge to start saving money and move items you don't think you'll have time to eat into the freezer.

2. Keep your cupboards well stocked

Keep your cupboards and freezer well stocked with a variety of canned, dried and frozen foods. Items such as tinned beans, frozen meat and fish, dried fruits and rice have a long shelf life, and can be added to leftovers to make a delicious meal.

3. Get your portions right

In the UK, we waste a staggering amount of staple food items every day, including 7 million slices of bread and over 5 million potatoes. Try the Love Food Hate Waste 'portion calculator', which will help you to serve food in the right portions, to prevent uneaten food being thrown in the bin.

4. Meals from leftovers

Using up leftovers is an easy way to save money. You can create some delicious meals from your leftovers - they don't have to mean second best. There are loads of ideas on the Love Food Hate Waste pages, if you need a bit of inspiration.
Alternatively, if you have a portion left after dinner, you could freeze it as a 'ready meal' for one. Even smaller amounts could be pureed for the baby or served as a kid's portion for lunch the next day.

5. Plan ahead

Planning your meals is one of the best ways you can cut wastage and your food bills. Check your fridge, freezer and cupboards, so you don't buy things you already have. You could work out a weekly meal plan.

For more information about the campaign, visit the Love Food Hate Waste website.

What can I do with my food waste?

As well as reducing your food waste you can compost some of what's left in your own home compost bin or wormery. Find out more about our special offers for home compost bin and wormery kits.