Newry and Mourne District Council

14th January 2010

Each month, the average family throws away £50 worth of food that was bought, but not eaten. Wasting food also means that, we waste the energy, water and packaging involved in producing, transporting and storing the food. It also means that food sent to landfill contributes, to climate change. Newry and Mourne District Council’s Recycling Officers are providing some simple steps to help stop most of this waste going to landfill and save residents up to £50 a month.

Plan ahead

Planning meals is one of the most effective ways, you can cut wasteage and food bills. Start by checking your fridge, freezer and store cupboard and before you go shopping, make a list. Half of us make a shopping list all or some of the time, but half don’t stick to it in the store. Try making 2010 the year of the shopping list and sticking to it!

Also, take the effort out of thinking, what you are going to cook each night and wondering, if you have the ingredients to make it, by planning weekly menus.

Know your food labels

Just by opening the fridge door and checking the ‘use by’ date on what’s inside, you can begin saving money. Meat, fish and ready meals are often the most expensive things we buy, so it helps to get into the habit of regularly checking the dates on perishable items in your fridge. Move them into the freezer, if you don’t think, you’ll have time to eat them or cook them.

Store food carefully

The average freezer contains enough food to feed a person for 11 days. There are plenty of things, that you can keep in your freezer, including many things you may not have realised. For example, hard cheese – grate before freezing and then use from frozen, on pasta bakes and cheese on toast. Also, a sliced loaf can be frozen and can go straight into the toaster when you want a slice of toast.

It’s also worth keeping a stock of staple, long lasting foods such as rice, to help cook up any leftover food without having to take an extra trip to the shops!

Cook the right amount

Are you getting your portions right? Use the portion calculator on the Love Food Hate Waste website to check and find a handy way to measure just the right amount. For example, a mug full of rice will serve 4 adults.

Use your leftovers

Being crafty with your food is the clever way to save money – and it really just means thinking before you throw. If you have some dinner left in the pan, bag it and pop it in the freezer as a ‘ready meal’ for one. Even the smallest amount could be pureed up for the baby or served as a kid’s portion for lunch, the next day. By using last night’s leftovers for a packed lunch at work, we can save between £3.00 and £5.00 a day.

Find out more

For more detailed information about food waste and how you can reduce it, visit the Love Food Hate Waste website at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com or contact Therese Hamill on tel: 028 3031 3233 or email recycling@newryandmourne.gov.uk.