Bins, recycling and waste
December 7, 2023
Around a quarter of food bought in the UK is wasted, costing the average family around ยฃ700 a year. By reducing the amount of food we throw away, we can save money and reduce our carbon footprint.
That's why our waste and recycling team have put together some top tips to help you reduce food waste and save money over the Christmas and New Year period.
Planning is key:
- Planning meals in advance, checking what foods you have in the kitchen and writing a shopping list will help you avoid buying foods you won't use.
- Meal planning and cooking at home can also be better for your health, since you can control the ingredients you use (less salt, less sugar, etc.)
The difference between expiration and expiration dates:
- Foods are often safe to eat after consumption, as long as they pass the sight and smell test.
- Expiration dates are a safety measure, so be extra careful.
How to make good use of your freezer:
- Freezing foods that are close to their sell-by date means you can keep them longer.
- Most foods freeze well, except egg-based sauces and vegetables with high water content.
- Food should be allowed to cool before freezing and stored in a container or wrapped to avoid freezer burn.
- Rice can be frozen as long as it is cooled quickly and frozen within an hour of cooking.
Using your leftovers:
- Leftover food can be stored in the refrigerator in a container and consumed another day or used to prepare another dish.
- As a general rule, leftovers stored in the refrigerator can be consumed within 3 or 4 days.
- Visit the I love food I hate waste either BBC good food websites to find recipe ideas for leftovers.
Batch Cooking Meals:
- Double cooking can reduce the amount of leftover ingredients that may need to be discarded.
- Batch cooking also saves time when cooking, and buying in bulk could save you money.
- Some people batch cook certain basic ingredients that can be incorporated into different meals throughout the week.
Naturally, some food will end up going to waste. Instead of throwing it into the general trash, it can be recycled and converted into compost or green energy. Can Order free food recycling containers..
Discover More information about waste and recycling collection this Christmas.
Want the latest Council news delivered straight to your inbox?
