Tips to reduce food waste this Christmas
Not only is food waste bad for the environment, it’s also bad for your wallet! In fact, the average Essex household wastes £83 every month by throwing away food that could have been eaten.
Here are some top tips to keep such tasty food from going to waste this Christmas.
Plan your meals wisely
One of the best ways to reduce food waste is to plan your meals carefully. Before heading to the supermarket, make a shopping list based on the number of guests and the meals you plan to cook. This helps avoid over-purchasing and ensures that you only buy what you need.
Top tip: buy your ingredients from an Essex refill shop. This way, you can get the exact amount needed for your recipes.
Get creative with leftovers
Despite our best efforts, some leftovers are unavoidable at Christmas. Instead of letting them go to waste, get creative in the kitchen. Leftover turkey can be transformed into delicious sandwiches, soups, or casseroles. Vegetables can be used in stir-fries or as toppings for pizzas. By repurposing leftovers, you not only reduce waste but also enjoy easy boxing day meals.
Compost your food scraps
Composting your festive scraps is an excellent way to recycle food into nutrient-rich soil for your garden. Items like vegetable peels, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds can all be composted. To get started, Essex residents can purchase a subsided compost bin.
Food recycling
If you still find yourself left with unavoidable food waste, the next option would be to use a food caddy. When you recycle your food, it is collected and transformed into energy and fertiliser to power Essex. Once the caddy is full, transfer the contents to your larger outdoor food waste bin.
This simple habit ensures that food waste doesn’t end up in landfill where it rots and releases greenhouse gases.
By taking these steps, we can make sure Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year – and not the most wasteful.