- Check your fridge temperature: it should be between 0-5C. Food, especially milk, will go off much quicker if it’s warmer.
- Use your fridge wisely: some foods keep better outside the fridge. This includes bread (keep it in a cool dark place like a bread bin or cupboard), bananas, pineapples, potatoes and onions.
- Love your list: make a shopping list and stick to it when you go shopping. The easiest way is to keep it in the kitchen and add to it as you think of things. Remember to plan ahead and shop with specific meals in mind.
- Freeze your 5-a-day: if you have fresh fruit and veg you can’t use in time, freeze them. Some fruit and veg will lose their texture when frozen but you can deal with this by freezing them pureed or stewed. This applies to tomatoes (use the puree for pasta dishes or pizza), strawberries (use the puree in smoothies or as a sauce for other fresh fruit) and apples (use stewed apple on your porridge or muesli, or as the base for a fruit crumble).
- …and freeze leftovers: many leftovers and chilled convenience meals freeze well. So, if you’ve made something like pasta or rice with a sauce, freezing the sauce separately works better.
- 4. Water your veg: keep the stems of vegetables such as broccoli, celery and asparagus in water to help them stay fresh and crisp.
- Measure your portions: reduce waste by cooking only the amount needed. Measuring takes out the guesswork and makes it more likely you’ll get the right amount.
- Sauces and dips: lots of leftovers can be made into sauces or dips. If you’ve got leftover beans or pulses, mash or blend with some garlic, lemon juice and herbs for a hummus-style dip (don’t try this with baked beans, unless you rinse them thoroughly first). Slightly over-ripe avocados are great for guacamole and tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers that need using can go into home-made salsa.
- Freeze dairy products: semi-skimmed and skimmed milk freeze better than whole milk. If it separates once defrosted, just give it a good shake. Hard cheese also freezes well; just cut it into smaller portions, or grate ready to use later.
- Revive past-it bread: bread rolls past their best? Put them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up again. You can also make stale bread into breadcrumbs – either mix with herbs and onions as a stuffing for chicken, top baked fish, or freeze for later use. Loaves of bread freeze well too. If you’re freezing a loaf or rolls from an in-store bakery, transfer into a freezer bag for better results rather than just freezing it in the packaging it comes in.
(Find more useful guides from Love Food Hate Waste https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/)
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