How to reduce your food waste

When a total 6.6 million tonnes of food is wasted from UK households every year, we want to be reducing as much of it as possible. Experts at Love Food Hate Waste say those 6.6 million tonnes need to be reduced because it amounts to costs of £14 billion and 20 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. So reducing our food waste can help to combat climate change by reducing emissions, too.

What you can do at home

1. Make a meal plan.
Check your cupboards and fridge to see what essentials you need and avoid duplications. A family of 4 could save up to £60 a week planning meals in this way.

2. Choose loose fruit and veg in the supermarkets to avoid plastic packaging and excess waste.

3. Start composting!
Get ahead with this year's gardening by following the steps below to make your own compost, or buy a home composting station for your garden. Make good use of your household food waste bin if provided by your local council.

4. Store your food better.
The experts at Love Food Hate Waste have created a useful A-Z guide to show how to best store your foods, including whether you can freeze them.

5. Use up leftovers.
It's time to get your creative juices flowing and find some interesting recipes to try!

6. Support local food suppliers.
Buy fresh vegetables from farms near you or from those who deliver food boxes such as Purton House Organics. This keeps a circular economy going and supports local businesses during lockdown.

7. Take part in Waste Free Feb!