We throw away around two million turkeys, 74 million mince pies and five million Christmas puddings during the festive season.
Not only is this good food that is wasted, every year the average family throws away up to £700 a year.
In Liverpool 28% of general waste is food that could have been eaten. That’s almost 34,000 tons of good food going to waste.
Here are our top tips to reduce food waste this festive period;
- Use a shopping list Shopping lists are great way of making sure you that you only buy the food and drink that you actually need, instead of impulse buying.
- Freeze leftover meat Cooked meats can be frozen, left to thaw in the fridge overnight, which can then be used to make stews and curries.
- Freeze your cheese No room for that cheese board you planned? If it’s still before it’s used by date, why not freeze your favorite cheese and add it to a homemade pasta or pizza dish.
- Fresh for longer Don’t throw away the plastic tubs from your favorite takeaway. Reuse the containers and keep your leftovers fresher for longer.
- Use the OLIO app If you do end up with leftover food that you are stuck for ideas with why not check out the free OLIO app. Olio is a mobile phone application that helps you share your leftovers with the local community for free.
- Get creative with your leftovers Leftovers from your Christmas meal don’t always have to be eaten for days after as a roast dinner or the dreaded turkey sandwich. Be creative and check out some of the great tasting recipes and more handy tips at lovefoodhatewaste.com
Neighborhood select committee chair Councillor Robertson-Collins recommends a quick and easy bubble and squeak recipe. She said: “Use any leftover cooked potatoes or roast potatoes, mix with any cooked green vegetables until they make a mash, add a drop of sunflower oil to a frying pan and fry for a delicious bubble and squeak. Perfect with a fried egg or sausage for a quick tea a couple of days after Christmas.”
