Category: Waste

Can you eat food that’s past its best before date?

white and brown eggs in a wire bowl

A best before date is different to a use by date, and misunderstanding them could cause you to throw away perfectly good food.

As well as wasting money, throwing away food wastes the energy that was used growing, packing and transporting that food to you, and could cause methane to be emitted from landfill as the food decomposes anaerobically. It’s a big problem – WRAP, the waste action organisation, estimates that waste in the UK food supply chain causes 36 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year[1].

So what’s the difference between a use by date and a best before date?

  • In the UK, use by dates indicate the likely date by which the food will probably go bad
  • Best before dates simply mean the food might not taste quite as good after that date, but it should still be safe to eat

If the packaging is undamaged and the food was processed safely to begin with, dry goods and tins can last months, or even years, past their best before dates.

However, use common sense. If your food looks, smells or tastes wrong, or if the container is swollen, damaged or leaking, don’t eat it.

Tips for using food past its best before date

We often eat vegan yoghurt, vegan cheese and vegetables that have gone past their best before dates, and our non-vegans regularly eat eggs, milk, cheese and yoghurt that are past their best before dates too.

But you still have to use your eyes, nose and common sense to judge whether your food is OK or not. Here are some tips for when food is probably safe, and when you shouldn’t risk it.

  • Just so we are very clear, you should not eat food that is past its use by date
  • Hard cheese, like cheddar, will probably last weeks longer than the best before date suggests; being left for long periods of time is part of the cheese-making process.
    It will last even longer if wrapped tightly in a beeswax wrap, because a beeswax wrap will keep the air away better than the original plastic packaging will.
    Even if your cheddar cheese has gone hard or mouldy on the edges, the middle is probably still fine.
    If you see white dots on the surface of dairy cheese, it’s probably not mould, but calcium lactate crystals – a sign that the cheese is flavourful and well-aged
  • Yoghurt and vegan yoghurt will probably last days past their best before dates. I’ve eaten it many times, but your constitution might be different. Don’t take chances if you are very young, old, pregnant or immunocompromised
  • Eggs last weeks longer than the best before date indicates. If you’re not sure about an egg, don’t throw it away; break it into an empty cup. If it’s gone bad, you’ll know immediately by the smell!
  • You shouldn’t eat food with an open texture (like bread and cake) if you can see mould on it. But if the food has a solid texture, like cheese, apples or carrots, you can cut out the bad bits and carry on
  • Potatoes and carrots last for weeks in the fridge or another cool dark place. Cut any green bits, sprouting bits or “eyes” off, and the rest should be fine
  • If you’re not going to finish a loaf of bread before it goes stale, slice it and freeze it in a bag together with a paper towel. You can take out one slice at a time and toast it, or defrost it all at once – the paper towel will absorb any moisture so the bread doesn’t go soggy.
    Alternatively, grate it or blitz it into breadcrumbs and use it as a topping for a pasta bake, to bulk out homemade burgers, for stuffing, or as a crunchy coating for nuggets
  • Some supermarkets have stopped putting best before dates on fruit and vegetables, so buyers aren’t discouraged from buying food that’s still good. That’s great, but unless you’re very good at organising, you can still use them in the wrong order at home, so the oldest ones go off anyway!
    You can avoid this problem by writing the purchase date on the packaging with a Sharpie, so you use the oldest food first
  • Tomatoes that are a bit wrinkly – but not yet mouldy – can be frozen, then roasted later on
  • Take great care with homemade items, like jams, preserves or pickles, which could have been made under non-sterile conditions and contain the botulism toxin. You can’t see, smell, or taste this toxin, which can be deadly even in small amounts. Do not take chances with home-made jams, preserves or pickles; refrigerate them and use them up quickly

Important:
Always use your own judgment. If food looks, smells or tastes wrong to you, or if the packaging is swollen, damaged or leaking, don’t eat it. In fact, if you are in any doubt at all, it’s best not to eat it. Definitely don’t take chances if you’re serving food to someone who is very young, very old, pregnant or has a compromised immune system.

Reference:
[1]Household waste prevention hub: Waste prevention activities – food waste data (2021) WRAP. WRAP. Available at: https://wrap.org.uk/resources/guide/waste-prevention-activities/food-love-waste-data (Accessed: March 23, 2023).

Image credit: photo by Natalie Rhea on Unsplash

Categories: All actions, Food, Saves money, Waste

How to use jam jars to freeze extra portions

three jam jars viewed from above containing dark brown and pale brown preserves on a wooden table with yellow marigolds to the left

Cooking from scratch is an important skill for living sustainably, but it takes a big chunk of time out of your day. It makes sense to cook more than you need, and then save the extra portions so you can have a quick meal another day.

You’ll need something to store the extra portions in. Jam jars are a perfect single portion size, infinitely reusable and store nicely in your freezer, but there are some important tips to do it safely.

How to freeze food in jam jars

  • Start saving your jam jars! Jars with wide necks are the easiest to fill and least likely to crack, but save all of them to begin with and replace them with better ones over time.
  • Jars with plastic, or plastic-coated, lids are better than metal ones, because frozen metal can hurt your fingers when you touch it. Protect your hand with a tea towel if you can’t avoid using a metal lid.
  • Soak the original label off the jar in warm soapy water. Some labels come off easier than others. If the label leaves a lot of glue behind and it won’t come off easily, it’s probably best to recycle the jar instead, as it will always stay sticky.
  • Make sure the jar is clean and dry. You might want to sterilise it in the oven or the dishwasher first, but we haven’t found this to be necessary.
  • Fill the jar with food. Leave approximately a 1-inch gap at the top of the jar to give the food room to expand as it freezes.
  • Write what’s in the jar, and the date, on a small sticky label or a reusable tag. Stick the label on the lid, or tie the reusable tag around the neck of the jar, so you know what’s in it later. Labels soak off lids better than they soak off glass jars, so stick the label to the lid to make your life easier later.
  • Liquids expand when they freeze, so put the lid on loosely to start with, otherwise the jar may crack as the food freezes and expands.
  • Now let the food cool down before putting it in the freezer, so your freezer doesn’t have to work so hard cooling it down.
  • Later, when the food is completely frozen, tighten the lid to stop air from getting to the food (you can do this when you next go in the freezer – you don’t have to set a timer).

How do I defrost food in jam jars?

  • Plan ahead when you want to use the food. Instead of defrosting it in the microwave, save energy by taking the jar out of the freezer the night before. Put it in the fridge and leave it to defrost overnight.
  • Heat the food in a saucepan or use it in a recipe. Make sure it’s completely warmed through.
  • If you have any leftovers after this meal, you’ll need to throw them away, because you shouldn’t freeze the food a second time.
  • After use, soak the label off by leaving the lid in a small amount of water for a few minutes. If you put the jar in the dishwasher without removing the label, you will get bits of paper stuck to all your crockery and in the filter.
  • Use the dishwasher to clean the jar and the lid, then store it with the lid on, ready to use it again.

Image credit: photo by Tina Witherspoon on Unsplash

Categories: All actions, Food, In Lockdown, Quick & easy, Saves money, Waste

Climate action – how to use a zero-waste shop

dry goods bins at a zero waste shop

How do zero-waste shops work?

Zero-waste shops sell everyday items, like groceries, cleaning products, personal care items and gifts, without plastic packaging. But, because they’re all about reducing packaging, they don’t work like normal shops!

You can bring your own containers, or buy reusable containers from them the first time you buy something. They’ll write the weight of the container on the bottom, and deduct it when they weigh your goods, so you don’t end up paying for the weight of the container!

Dry goods like pasta, flour and muesli are usually stored in gravity bin dispensers. You simply put your container underneath, open the door at the bottom, fill your container, and close the door again. Wide-necked containers are best otherwise you will make a mess… but they’ll have a dustpan and brush handy.

Spices are usually stored in Kilner jars, with a spoon nearby so you can measure out how much you need.

Cleaning products like washing up liquid, laundry detergent, and fabric conditioner will be stored in large plastic tubs. They’ll either have a pump, or a tap and a spout at the bottom. You put the spout into the neck of your reusable bottle, then pump to fill your bottle, or open the tap. Keep an eye on the spout, particularly when pumping!

I have lost count of the number of times I’ve been distracted talking to the owner and spilt laundry detergent on the carpet. Fortunately, they are very forgiving and have towels ready to use.

What other things do zero-waste shops sell?

One lovely thing about zero-waste shops is they are often local owner-managed businesses, so they’ll all be different.
Our local shop sells all sorts of environmentally friendly products like beeswax wraps, reusable period products, cleaning brushes, and tooth-cleaning products. They’ve also got a coffee grinder and a “Notella” machine, which grinds hazelnuts and chocolate nibs into a palm-oil-free Nutella substitute.

More good reasons to use a zero-waste shop

  • Zero-waste shops are great places to meet like-minded people so you don’t feel like you’re doing this all on your own
  • They might be a local Terracycle collection point, so you can recycle your crisp packets and chocolate wrappers when you go in
  • Zero-waste shop staff will probably know all about local seed swaps, have the contact details for joining your local Extinction Rebellion group, or know who to speak to about getting a seat on a coach to a protest
  • Together, staff and customers form a local knowledge bank to help solve problems. If you’re thinking of investing in a major green project, they’ll probably know someone who’s already done it. Or if you want to know how to freshen up your washing machine without commercial products, they can tell you how to do that too
  • Using your local zero-waste shop helps keep the High Street alive and supports local small businesses
  • And of course, it means less packaging waste is produced. The amount of packaging used for bulk delivery of stock is much less than the amount needed to pack the same items individually

How can I find my nearest zero-waste shop?

Easy – google “zero waste (your town’s name) or use this map to find your nearest zero-waste shop (but check your local store’s website before you go, for opening hours, and to make sure it’s still running).

Photo credit: Benjamin Brunner on Unsplash

Categories: All actions, Food, High impact, In Lockdown, Waste

How to get your favourite brands to stop using plastic

woman in green top with coffee and laptop in a cafe

Why should I ask my favourite brands to stop using plastic?

While plastic can be recycled, it often isn’t, leading to plastic pollution in oceans, rivers, and even our own bodies via the food chain. We need to stop producing and using single-use plastic items, except for where it’s absolutely necessary.

As individuals, we can make better purchasing decisions – but changes made by companies make it easy for everyone to go greener – whether they want to or not! 

So ask your favourite brands why they’re still using plastic in their products or packaging. A single change made by a company can have as much effect as thousands of their customers making the same choice.

Action:
Ask your favourite brands why they haven’t swapped to paper-based or plant-based wrappers for their products, or why they are still using plastic when they don’t need to.

How do I get companies to stop using plastic?

Start by emailing or tweeting and see what kind of answer you get. The company may be enthusiastic – they may already be doing something about it!

Twitter is a good place to put pressure on companies because they don’t like negative publicity. But however you do it, make sure you’ve got your facts right, and be polite – there’s a person at the other end. Feedback from customer services and the social media team can be a valuable mechanism for convincing management to make the change!

If you don’t get anywhere, see if someone else has already created a petition. Change.org and 38 Degrees are good places to start, or, to petition the government, use the UK government petitions site. If a petition already exists, support it by adding your name, writing to the petition target, or offering help to the petition owner.

If no one else is already running a campaign, you could start your own petition on Change.org or a similar site. But to give it the best chance of success, first, ask yourself if you’re committed to following it through. The most powerful petitions are started by people who are really committed and have the time to meet the petition target in the real world and work together for solutions – like the campaign we’ve highlighted below.

Finally, consider getting together with others to organise a boycott of the product or even protest at the organisation’s headquarters or sales outlets.

Cut the plastic – an inspiring example of a great eco campaign

Ella Daish’s campaign to encourage supermarkets to make all their menstrual products plastic-free is a great example of a successful campaign.

Ella was working as a postal worker when she noticed the amount of rubbish on her delivery route. First, she took steps to reduce the amount of waste she produced in her daily life; one of the changes she made was switching to eco-friendly period products. But no one else seemed to be aware of the problem.

She decided to take on the suppliers and started her campaign, on Change.org, in early 2018.

Ella’s petition, which calls on supermarkets and manufacturers to cut the plastic from their period products, now has more than 230,000 signatures. Ella met with decision-makers from Procter & Gamble, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Boots, Morrisons, Aldi, Kotex, Lil-lets, Carefree, Lidl, Bodyform, Asda, Superdrug and the Co-op, and the campaign featured in the national news and international magazines.

As a result of Ella’s campaign:

  • Sainsbury’s, Aldi, and Superdrug stopped producing plastic tampon applicators, which she says has prevented 17 tonnes of plastic from being produced annually
  • Eco-friendly ranges of tampons, pads and reusable products are now available in most supermarkets, giving customers a greater choice
  • Lil-Lets, Superdrug, and Morrisons developed and launched their own eco-friendly ranges

Photo credit: Adam Satria on Unsplash

Categories: High impact, Free, In Lockdown, Influence, Uncategorized, Waste

Reduce, reuse, recycle is dead – here’s how to make a difference

rubbish trash littering a tropical beach

What’s wrong with reduce, reuse, recycle?

Reduce, reuse, recycle… it’s been drummed into us since the 70s. But that old mantra sounds a bit hollow now we’ve learned what some unethical companies are doing with our carefully-separated recyclables.

Containers full of recyclable material are shipped overseas, but once they arrive there’s no guarantee that they will actually be recycled. Our plastic waste ends up on beaches, in rivers, in landfills, or could be incinerated. Burning plastic releases toxic gases which can harm the health of the people living nearby.

So while recycling is good in principle, we can’t just ship it abroad and forget about it. The problem with “reduce, reuse, recycle” is we’ve been focusing too much on the “recycle” bit, forgetting that by far the most important bit is “reducing”, i.e. not causing the plastic to be used in the first place.

How can I reduce plastic use?

We need to make plastic reduction central to every decision at work and home. Some good places to start are:

  • Buy less stuff, particularly stuff packaged in plastic
  • At work, look for opportunities to reduce plastic in your products and packaging. Your one decision at work could have the same impact as thousands of individual consumers reaching the same decision
  • Buy loose ingredients from a zero-waste shop, and cook from scratch
  • Use bamboo, jute or organic cotton shopping bags instead of either single-use or plastic bags-for-life
  • Use beeswax wraps instead of cling film or sandwich bags
  • Stop buying plastic junk, e.g. for presents, or for children
  • Use bamboo or closed-loop recycling toothbrush heads instead of plastic toothbrushes
  • Use re-usable sanitary products
  • Make your own sandwiches and coffee. Wrap your sandwiches in a beeswax wrap and put them in a tin. Carry your coffee in a reusable bamboo cup
  • Avoid plastic promotional giveaways, both as a giver and a receiver

There are probably thousands of different alternatives to everyday products available – we’ve listed our favourite eco-friendly swaps here.

But success lies in a change of mindset.

  • Buy less
  • Buy better
  • Avoid plastic in as many purchases as possible
  • Learn to repair what’s broken
  • Borrow
  • Lend
  • Give things away
  • Think “second-hand first”

Photo credit: Dustan Woodhouse on Unsplash

Categories: All actions, Consumption, High impact, Waste

Think “second-hand first” – how to save money with second-hand and reuse websites

screenshot of listings on second hand clothing website depop

Why use second-hand and reuse websites?

Fashion waste is a huge problem, with waste occurring during manufacture, processing, transport, disposal of unsold stock and the quick discarding of fast fashion items.

According to Edge Fashion Intelligence, 94 million kg (208 million lb) of waste was generated from single-use outfits in 2019, and 64% of the 32 billion garments produced each year end up in landfill.

So whether you need something or don’t need something anymore, websites like eBay, Poshmark, Depop, Vinted, Freegle and Freecycle help keep stuff out of landfill and money in your pocket.

Facebook groups, Gumtree and Craigslist are also great ways to list or acquire things locally, with the benefit that you can easily collect them and don’t have to pay postage costs.

What are the best second-hand and reuse websites?

eBay

You’ve probably heard of eBay, the online auction and marketplace where you can buy or sell almost anything. It’s a great way to buy, or move on, second-hand clothes, household goods, and unwanted gifts.

It’s also a great way to find out what something’s worth. If you have some weird old collectables or vintage items, they might be worth a lot to someone else.

You need to create an account to buy or sell. Some items are offered as auctions, and others have a “buy it now” price. The price you offer to buy at is the price you pay, plus postage depending on your dispatch method.

As a private, low-volume seller, a basic listing is free – but eBay deducts a fee of 12.8% + 30p* before you get your money. However, there are lots of paid add-on services to help your item stand out, and a few weird quirks, for example, if you’re selling trainers.

Poshmark, Depop & Vinted

Poshmark, Depop and Vinted specialise in peer-to-peer sales of second-hand clothing, jewellery, shoes and homewares (i.e. people selling to other people). While some sellers take it very seriously, curating collections and wardrobes for their followers, the majority of sellers are just looking to make a little bit of money back when they clear out their wardrobes. It’s possible to pick up items from just a few pounds up to hundreds for second-hand designer items.

Vinted

You need to create an account to buy or sell on Vinted. Sellers can bundle items together and give buyers a discount for buying multiple items.
With Vinted, the price you see listed is what the seller gets. Vinted adds a fee of 70p + 5%*, and then you choose your postage method, which adds another couple of pounds. So while everything looks like a bargain, be prepared to pay a couple more pounds than the price you originally see.

Depop

You need to create an account to buy or sell on Depop.
As a buyer, you pay the price you see, plus postage depending on the method you choose.
Depop charges sellers 10% of the total sale price* (including 10% of the postage), then PayPal or Depop Payments charge around 3% + 30p* as well.

Poshmark

Poshmark is marketed as the site for higher-value items.
You need to create an account to buy or sell on Poshmark.
As a buyer, you pay the price you see, plus postage, which starts at $7.67 for items weighing 5 lb or less*.
Poshmark charges sellers $2.95 for items under $15*. For items costing $15 or more, it’s 20% of the total*.

Freegle and Freecycle

Try Freegle and Freecycle for stuff that’s too bulky to post, or too tatty to sell, but still has plenty of use left in it. Everything is free.

You can list things you just want taken off your hands, or pick up items for nothing, in your local area. It really is worth a try; I’ve given away stuff I thought no one would ever want, like a really ugly concrete bird bath that came with our house; the people who collected it thought it was great.

Freegle and Freecycle are great for larger items or things that charity shops don’t want, perhaps because they’re a bit tatty or broken.

So if you need, or want to get rid of, 3 yards of used chicken wire, a well-used sofa or an aloe vera plant… just post an advert, and someone may help you out.

Click here to find your nearest Freecycle group

Or here to find your nearest Freegle group.

Facebook, Gumtree and Craigslist

Like classified ads in local newspapers, you can also give away, sell or pick up items on local Facebook groups, Gumtree and Craigslist.

However you choose to do it, you’re keeping things out of landfill and helping to build a community of people who reject the throw-away culture.

*Fees quoted are correct as at March 2023.

Image credit:
Screenshot by the author

Categories: All actions, Community & action, Consumption, Free, Saves money, Waste

Find your tribe – how to join or create a green group

group of people talking laughing outside

When you see people buying fast fashion, or buying a diesel or petrol car, or voting for politicians who support fossil fuels, it can feel like you’re the only person who’s doing anything to fight climate change.

Finding a group of people who are on the same path can really help when your motivation gets low. Talking through problems and sharing solutions will help all of you make faster progress, and create a visible hub that people new to “going green” can join.

How can I find a green group or tribe?

  • Join groups that already exist, like your local Extinction Rebellion group, your school’s sustainability group, or a community garden
  • Visit or follow your local zero-waste shop and get to know the owners and regular customers
  • Search for green groups on your preferred social media platform
  • Set up a community group called “your neighbourhood/workplace green people” (or something along those lines). Invite anyone you know who’s got solar panels, an electric car, an allotment, or is known to be vegetarian or vegan. Share your ideas, support each other and watch your group grow
  • Put a box in your workplace break room and label it “food sharing”. Encourage people to share food they’re not going to get to, or food they bought to try, but don’t like
  • Start a sustainability group at work or school
  • Get a food buddy and share bulk purchases from online ethical or vegan stores, or take unwanted items off each other’s hands
  • Organise a new-to-you event and swap clothes, toys or household items
  • Set up a formal or informal Terracycle collection point at your work, school or place of worship
  • Set up or support a Community Fridge
  • Start or support a community garden
  • Start a Wombling group (a gathering to litter pick or clean up a specific area)
  • If you’ve got a specific community project in mind, set up a Facebook group to attract supporters/helpers, and advertise it in local community groups
  • Take a Zero-Carbon Britain course and connect with like-minded people

In addition to their stated aims, these groups also create the opportunity for conversations about green issues, which can help you find allies to promote even more green initiatives at work or in your neighbourhood.

Photo credit: Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Categories: All actions, High impact, Quick & easy, Saves money, Waste

How to take climate action – grow your own food

green and red tomatoes growing ripening on vine

Why should I grow my own food?

Every piece of food that you grow yourself saves you money, has zero food miles, zero packaging waste, gets you outside in the fresh air, and gives you a massive sense of achievement. You also get the satisfaction of eating seasonally and learning to store and use your own produce.

You can do it on a small scale or a large scale. In different houses, over the years, I’ve grown vegetables in a dedicated vegetable plot, mixed in amongst flowers in the border, on windowsills, and on balconies.

If you haven’t got the space to grow fruit and vegetables at home, consider an allotment. However, there are often long waiting lists for allotments, so if you can see yourself wanting one in the future, contact your local council and get your name down now.
Alternatively, arrange to tend someone else’s garden in exchange for sharing the produce (try Lend and Tend (UK), AllotMe (UK) or Shared Earth (US)).

What seeds should I buy?

The seeds you buy from the garden centre are often either F1 hybrids or genetically modified. The offspring are likely to be infertile or unstable, which means there’s no point saving seed from your plants to sow next year, locking you into a never-ending seed-purchase cycle that only benefits the international seed companies.

While this isn’t likely to be a big problem for hobby growers, it could become a huge problem for farmers in developing countries if the monopoly suppliers jack up their prices. And, as climate change increases the frequency of extreme and unpredictable weather events, the reducing genetic range (and therefore adaptability) of our staple food crops could become a problem for all of us.

I prefer not to support the big international seed companies, and I like the seed I use to be stable and unmodified, so I buy mine from a family company that grows heirloom varieties. In my experience, the seeds germinate reliably, generally produce good crops, and you can save the seed from your plants to use them next year. They even give you instructions on how to save the seed.

Here is a list of companies that sell organic seeds in the UK, courtesy of The Ecologist journal.

How can I get the most out of a small plot?

The majority of homes in the UK have very small plots, and we’ve all been trained to think that a flawless lawn is “peak garden”. So you may need to think creatively if you want to grow fruit and vegetables at home while allowing the rest of your family to continue to enjoy the garden in their own way.

  • If your partner isn’t convinced, create a Pinterest board of “beautiful gardens that aren’t lawns” to help them visualise what you’re planning
  • Remember you don’t have to do it all at once. Start with fruit and vegetables that you know you’ll eat, so your effort doesn’t go to waste. We started with tomatoes, peppers, squash and courgettes because we eat a lot of them and they can be grown without a greenhouse
  • Protect your crops from dogs, balls and children with a sturdy fence or a fruit cage
  • You can grow salad items on a windowsill, possibly even in winter (depending on how much sun the windowsill gets)
  • Join a local gardening club or Facebook group to get advice on when to plant and what’s going wrong with your plants
  • Find out when the last and first frost dates are in your area
  • Learn which plants grow well together and which don’t
  • To make the most of the space you have, try:
    – growing in pots
    – raised beds
    – vegetables planted amongst flowers
    – salad leaves as ground cover or ornamental lawn edging
    – hanging baskets (good for protecting strawberries from slugs)
    – increasing your growing area by using vertical space, e.g. growing plants up a trellis, an arch, a cone made of bamboo poles, or along wires fastened to fences
    – using cold frames to extend the growing season
    – growing vines and fruit trees against sunny walls so the plants benefit from the heat store
    – underplanting vertical plants (like sweetcorn, tomatoes or beans) with ground cover plants (like lettuce, courgettes or squash)
  • If you have enough space, a fruit cage or a greenhouse will help protect your crops so you get a better yield
  • If you have too little space for your needs, apply for an allotment or tend a neighbour’s garden in exchange for giving them a share of the produce

How can I become fully self-sufficient?

If you’re really going for it and want to be fully self-sufficient, estimates for the amount of land needed range from 0.75 to 1.25 acres per person for a vegetarian diet.

Check out this Grand Designs episode for the story of an inspirational couple who feed not just themselves and their family, but also support their catering business, on five acres of land in Somerset (season 22, episode 9).

If you’re living the self-sufficiency dream, we’d love to hear about it for our inspirational stories – please email info@biggreenideaslist.com and let us know!

Photo credit: Dan Gold on Unsplash

Categories: All actions, Food, Gardening, High impact, Saves money, Waste

How to cut your food waste

loaf of bread with knife and wheat on a black background

We’ve been trained by supermarkets and cautious parents to only eat food that looks perfect, a habit which contributes to the 9.5 million tonnes of food the UK wastes, every year[1].

Once you change your way of thinking, you’ll be amazed at how much edible food you used to waste.

Make a plan and think ahead

Plan your meals in advance

Plan your meals for the week so you can:

  • use up anything you’ve got left over
  • plan something easy for busy days
  • batch cook on days when you’ve got more time
  • defrost tomorrow’s food overnight (chilled food cooks quicker, so it uses less energy than cooking from frozen)

Shop with a list

Shopping with a list helps you stick to a budget, avoid impulse buys that go to waste, and avoid buying accidental duplicates of things you already have.

Freeze food in portion sizes

Cut your garlic bread or pizza into portion sizes before you freeze it, then only defrost what you need (useful for everyone, but particularly if you’re cooking for one, or if you have small children who eat earlier than you do).

Use jam jars to freeze batch-cooked food

Each jar is the right size for one person, so you only defrost the quantity you need. This is particularly useful for families that have a mixture of meat-eaters and vegetarians/vegans.
Learn how to freeze food in jam jars.

Using up food that’s about to go bad

Learn the difference between use-by dates and best-before dates

Find out the difference between a best-before date and a use-by date – misunderstanding could be causing you to throw away perfectly good food.

Leftovers

Use your leftovers to make a quirky lunch tomorrow (e.g. fish fingers in a wrap with lettuce and mayo; chilli in a bap; roasted vegetables with pasta).

Bread

Freeze sliced bread before it goes stale. When you freeze it, put a piece of kitchen roll or a piece of teatowel in the bread bag – this will absorb any excess moisture so the bread doesn’t go soggy when you defrost it later. You can toast bread straight from frozen, or defrost as many slices as you need, overnight, in a reusable bag.

If your bread has already gone stale, or no one ever eats the crusts, grate them or whizz them up in a food processor. Use the breadcrumbs as a crunchy topping for a pasta bake, or breading for nuggets.

Fruit

You can freeze fruit that’s gone a bit past its best (but not mouldy). The fruit will be squishy when defrosted, so use them in a recipe where you don’t expect them to be firm, like a smoothie, porridge, overnight oats, a crumble or any baked fruit recipe. Bananas can be frozen and used as a base for a smoothie, non-dairy ice cream, or banana bread.

Vegetables

Freeze vegetables that are past their best (but not mouldy) and roast them later. Tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables work really well, as you expect roasted vegetables to be squashy anyway.

Save veg peelings/tops to bring extra flavour to soups or stock.

Save your potato peelings and make homemade “crisps” in the oven.

Broccoli stems are nice when sliced thinly, brushed with oil, seasoned and lightly pan-fried.

The leaves of many root vegetables can be sauteed like chard, or used to make a variation on pesto.

Salad

Put a piece of kitchen roll, or a piece of a tea towel, in your bag of salad leaves or spinach. The leaves will last much longer before they start to go slimy.

Use excess salad leaves or spinach to make pesto – a super-easy mid-week meal.

Eggs

Eggs last a long time past their best-before date, but if you have some that you are sure you won’t use in time, you can freeze them. Crack the egg as normal, then freeze the white and yolk either together or separately in small containers.

Milk

Milk can be frozen, but be careful because liquid expands when it freezes. Follow these steps to avoid splitting the container:

  • Loosen the lid
  • Very gently, push in the side of the bottle (not so much that the milk comes out of the bottle!)
  • With the side still pushed in, tighten the lid
  • Now freeze it
  • When the milk expands, it will just push the side of the container back out, and the bottle shouldn’t split

Cheese

Grate bits of hardened cheese and freeze them, then use them later for cheesy toppings.

Random leftovers

Use odd leftovers in quiches, mixed through rice, on pasta, roasted and served on a slice of puff pastry, or in omelettes.

Why not have a “whatever” night every week, when you finish up whatever’s left over in the fridge? This should save money as well as introduce some variety – you may find a new favourite meal.

[1] Food surplus and waste in the UK – key facts. October 2021. rep. Available at: https://wrap.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-10/food-%20surplus-and-%20waste-in-the-%20uk-key-facts-oct-21.pdf (Accessed: January 2, 2023).

Photo credit: Victoria Shes on Unsplash

Categories: All actions, Food, High impact, In Lockdown, Quick & easy, Saves money, Waste

Make your own lunch

lunchtime sandwich roll with brie walnuts and salad

Bad memories of the sandwiches you used to have to eat at school? Don’t worry, things have moved on.

Using last night’s leftovers to make your lunch prevents food waste – but you also get to amaze your colleagues with the unending variety of your lunches. If you usually buy your sandwiches at the supermarket, you’ll also save money and prevent plastic waste.

Try different types of bread, rice, salads, or pasta, served with a mixture of fillings, spreads, or whatever your kids didn’t eat from last night’s dinner.

Some ideas that are definitely better than yet another cheese sandwich are:

  • left-over vegetarian/chicken nuggets with chilli mayo and salad leaves served in a wrap
  • left-over (vegan) fish fingers with lemon mayo in a wrap
  • uneaten naan with yoghurt and cucumber
  • cooked-too-many roasted vegetables with couscous
  • reheated pasta and sauce, topped with a few fresh tomatoes
  • reheated chilli served up in a bun like a sloppy joe
  • almost any leftovers folded into an omelette (egg or chickpea based)
  • wilted salad leaves whizzed into a pesto with garlic, lemon juice and cashew nuts, served on toast
  • leftover vegetables mixed through a bean salad, with a simple vinaigrette dressing

Photo credit: Nikizhang on Unsplash

Categories: All actions, Food, In Lockdown, Quick & easy, Saves money, Waste

Eating better Step 1 – go meat-free a few times a week

meat free meal with salsa, chips, dip and tomatoes

Why should we cook without meat a few times each week?

Avoiding meat and dairy products is one of the most effective things you can do to reduce your environmental impact.[1] That’s because meat and dairy provide just 18% of calories – but they use 83% of farmland and produce 60% of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions![2]

But if you and your family are used to eating meat and dairy, completely cutting them out isn’t going to be easy. That’s why we recommend going meat-free a few times a week to start with. It’s an easy way to introduce die-hard meat eaters to alternative foods without making them feel too cheated and resistant.

How do you start cutting out meat?

It’s easy to find out just how tasty meat-free and dairy-free meals can be. If you’re not used to cooking, most supermarkets now stock a good range of vegetarian and vegan ready meals.
Meanwhile, practice making some easy meals. Eating sustainably is easier, cheaper and more interesting if you know how to cook from scratch.
Check out our list of eco-friendly food alternatives for our guide to the best dairy and meat replacements.

If you have some experience cooking, start by searching Pinterest or BBC Good Food for recipe inspiration. You’ll have a lot of fun discovering foods you didn’t know existed. Look for recipes with a small number of familiar ingredients to start with, or swap out the meat in a meal that you’re used to making.

Can you save money by going meat-free?

Vegetables are generally cheaper than meat, so eating plant-based meals can save you money. For example:

  • You can buy the ingredients for vegan chilli, including plant-based mince, for £2.01 (Aldi, April 23)
  • It would cost £3.85 if you made the same chilli with minced beef (Aldi, April 23)

Alternatively, if you’re buying ready meals, you can save money by buying a side dish and treating it as your main. For example:

  • Buy cauliflower cheese (Aldi, £2.09 for 750g) instead of a family-sized beef lasagne (Aldi, £3.69),
  • Buy aloo gobi saag (Sainburys, £2.50) instead of chicken tikka masala (Sainsburys, £4.25).

Next:
Step 2: stop eating beef

[1,2] Avoiding meat and dairy is ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth, The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth (Accessed: February 20, 2023).

Photo credit: Ralph (Ravi) Kayden on Unsplash

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