Food Waste

How much good food do you just "pour" down the plug hole?

How many "bath tubs" of uneaten fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, bread and ready meals do you think end up in your bin?

You might be surprised…

Here in Norfolk, we throw away enough food every year to fill up over 1 million baths.

In fact, according to the new Love Food Hate Waste campaign, we throw away a third of all the food we buy.

And while some of this is inedible, most is perfectly good food that could have been eaten if only we had used it in time - or had not bought or made so much.

The astonishing announcement follows pioneering research undertaken earlier this year by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), which shows that for every three bags of shopping we bring home, we effectively put one straight in the bin.

According to Dr Liz Goodwin, WRAP chief executive; "Our research also showed that 90 per cent of consumers are completely unaware of the amount of food they throw away. Once attention is drawn to it, however, we know that people are surprised and keen to take action."

Most of the food ends up in landfill sites, which contributes to climate change because it emits methane, a very powerful greenhouse gas.

And the financial implications are huge too - on average each person in Norfolk, buys and then wastes, around £421 every year on food that could have been eaten.

Popular TV chef Ainsley Harriott is supporting the campaign, along with several other well-known chefs and celebrities.

"The amount of food we throw away is criminal and we all need to take action and start changing our behaviour. That's why I'm supporting Love Food Hate Waste," he said.

"This campaign is aimed at everyone. You don't have to be a chef to know how to cut down on food waste, you just need to care about your food and your pocket and the rest will follow."

For more information on the campaign visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Top Tips for saving food and money!

Buy what you need and follow these easy tips to reduce your waste:

  • Plan meals, remember to check the fridge, freezer and cupboards before you shop

  • A list can help you buy only what you need

  • Follow storage instructions and keep an eye on dates

  • Check portion sizes so that you don't have too much left over

  • Compost uncooked fruit and vegetable peelings. Tea bags, coffee grounds and egg shells can all be composted at home

  • With a bit of imagination leftovers could be recycled into soups, stocks etc

Buy what you need and eat what you buy!

Waste Reducing Rustic Hash Browns

Ingredients:

About 200g leftover cooked potatoes cut into bite-sized chunks. You can also throw in any other leftover cooked vegetables that you happen to have, eg cabbage, broccoli, carrots

One onion, finely chopped

Two tablespoons olive oil

A knob of butter

Black peppercorns

Salt

Any chopped herbs

Method:

Heat the oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan and add the onions, cook until soft then add the leftover potatoes and other vegetables and cook until golden brown. Season with salt and ground black pepper and serve as a potato accompaniment. Sprinkle with the chopped herbs to serve.

Recipe from the Women's Institute for the Love Food Hate Waste Campaign.

If you have any recipes or suggestions, please email nwp@norfolk.gov.uk and we will publish them on our website www.recyclefornorfolk.org.uk