Did you know that on average, homes in Essex waste £800 a year in food that could have been eaten? This is a big waste of delicious food, a waste of your money, and has big impacts on the environment.
Before putting food in the compost bin or your food waste caddy, there are steps we can all take in cutting out the amount of food we waste in Essex.
Planning your meals, even just a few days in advance means you only need to buy what you need. This saves you time and money and can be less stressful as there’s no need to worry about what to cook every day. Think about what meals to cook and write up a list of ingredients to buy from the shops.
Keep your fridge below 5 degrees and put food in the freezer if you are unlikely to eat it in time. Find out how to freeze common foods at Love Food Hate Waste.
By storing food items in the correct place, we can make sure food lasts as long as possible.
Bread can be stored in a cool, dark, and dry place like a bread bin or cupboard, in their original packaging.
Eggs keep best in a fridge with a temperature between 1 and 5 degrees.
Wine should be stored in a cool, dark place and stored in the fridge once opened.
Make use of store cupboard essentials – tins, seasoning, oils, herbs, and spices – to turn your leftovers into something new and exciting!
Weigh or measure your food to work out the right amount for you and your family, remember what works for you. A mug, tablespoon, or scales can help you measure out the right amount of food.
Some common portion amounts are 75g (2-3 tablespoons) for one adult portion of pasta or rice, and 180g, or 3 egg sized pieces of boiled potato.
If you still have leftovers, then get creative and turn them into something else! Love Food Hate Waste’s recipe search tool is a great resource for finding recipe ideas with your leftover ingredients.
Why not sign up to our monthly Love Essex e-newsletter for more ideas on how to use up leftovers?