Making best use of the food you buy saves you money, protects the precious resources needed to produce and ship the food and helps you to think creatively about how you shop, cook and eat, which can make you healthier and happier too.
There are three points where your decision making makes a big impact:
- before
- during
- after you prepare food
Before
Shopping
Planning what you buy and eat is the best way to avoid waste. Taking your list into the shop and staying focused avoids those tempting special offers that may lead to other food at home going to waste.
But let’s face it, day in, day out, this can get a bit boring! When you want to be inspired, shop local or at one of our street markets. Produce is often sold loose, so you can buy only what you need. You will also be able to buy locally grown or produced food and drink, helping the local economy to thrive and cutting down on transport emissions.
Check out our local food suppliers directory and map to see what’s near you.
During
Storage
How you keep food at home can really affect how long it lasts, and the best way is not always obvious. Bread, for example, lasts longer when it’s stored in a cool, dark place than it does in a fridge.
Remember that the bottom of your fridge is the coldest part, so the best place for meat and fish. Keep food that is closest to its best before date at the front, so you don’t miss it. And make good use of your freezer for leftovers and surplus that you won’t get round to eating before it spoils.
TIP: keep your plastic takeaway tubs to re-use as air-tight, stackable, spill-proof storage!
Cooking
There are so many ways to use up leftovers or food that’s going to go off soon. Check out these ideas from a resident, who grew up during the Post War period and knows how to make the best use of what she has!
“Leftover leek, bacon and chicken pasta sauce: gently fry the finely chopped leek/bacon bits, add chicken, then add a tin of chopped tomatoes, Italian herbs, tomato puree and garlic, salt and pepper. I also put chilli flakes in mine. Cook gently for 15 mins whilst pasta is cooking.”
“Use up root vegetables by making stews with the addition of pearl barley and butter beans. I add celery. All it needs then is chicken/beef/vegetable stock. I often add tinned tomato soup and tomato puree. Lovely texture and colour. Add some dumplings: 4oz self-raising flour plus 2oz suet (veggie or beef) plus pinch salt and water and roll into balls and you have dumplings. Add in during the last 20 mins of stew cook time.”
“Use up vegetables by making a stir fry. Add rice and curry sauce and it’s a takeaway.”
“Also freeze leftover mash: handy to make shepherd’s pie, fish pie or even a veggie-based pie. Tip: always drain and dry when defrosted as it can be a bit watery. Add the butter or veggie marge/garlic oil then mash again before using."
“Use leftover mash to make fish cakes or a fab bubble and squeak by adding greens/Brussels sprouts. Frozen spinach also works with this recipe. Fry up in butter in a frying pan or make up in bulk in the oven. Turn it over as get a nice crispy bottom. No-one likes a soggy one.”
“One of the best ways of using up veggies is a Spanish tortilla (slow cooked omelette) - tell the kids it’s a pizza!”
“You know those expensive potato skin fries? Well we used to make those in the 1940s and 50s at home!”
Watch our YouTube short videos for more ideas:
After
Recycling what’s left
Even if you plan, store and cook really carefully, everyone has some food to recycle: stalks, fruit stones, eggshells, teabags – some waste is unavoidable. That’s where your weekly food recycling collection comes in!
From chewable to renewable
After your weekly food recycling is collected, it goes off to East London Biogas, where it is turned into renewable energy.
Off the boil and into the soil
As well as generating electricity, the food recycled is also turned into soil improver, which goes directly back into producing the next generation of fruit and vegetables, closing the circle!
Find out more about your weekly food recycling service and order an external food caddy.
View for more information on food waste reduction ideas.