Here are some tips to reduce waste this Christmas:
- Make the most of your freezer – almost everything can be frozen, so keep a daily check of food in the fridge and freeze items that are not likely to be used up in time. Freeze bread and rolls as soon as they are bought and just take out as you need them (toast can be made with frozen bread, rolls can be thawed quickly in a microwave or just removed from the freezer about 1 hour before they are needed, sandwiches can be made with frozen bread which will have almost thawed by the time the sandwich is made).
- Freeze leftover cooked vegetables to add to casseroles or to turn into a quick soup with some stock at a later date; freeze grated or crumbled leftover cheese to add to mashed potato or pasta dishes; freeze leftover wine in ice cube trays to add to casseroles and sauces.
- Make a fruit salad – people are likely to eat more of it this way. If the fruit is already looking a bit sad, blitz with a bit of fruit juice, yoghurt or milk to make a refreshing smoothie.
- Make a festive pastie with turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and leftover vegetables moistened with a little gravy, wrapped in shortcrust or puff pastry and baked for about 30mins in a hot oven.
- Remember that “Best Before” and “Sell By” dates are there for the shop’s attention and do not mean that food has to be thrown away – use your eyes and nose to make your own decision.
- Reflect on what you throw away most often or what you threw away last Christmas, and buy less of it in the first place!