Save money – don’t waste food!
I expect that I am not the only one who has noticed that the items going in our basket at the supermarket are not getting any cheaper. Not only are food prices going up but we’re throwing away more and more perfectly good produce because we’re just not as savvy as we used to be when it comes to preparing and preserving the food we buy.
Apparently we are now throwing away the equivalent of six meals every week according to new figures, according to Emma Marsh, who leads a national food campaign for Wrap who advise the Government on reducing waste, this adds up to £470 a year with 20% of waste being made up of fruit and veg! However, we can stop wasting food and money by applying a few tweaks to our habits. Here are some top tips for use to employ at home to stop throwing away so much!
Fruit: Fridge Vs Bowl
Keep fruit in the fridge and not in a bowl (except for bananas and pineapples), and it will last up to 2 weeks longer.
To bag or not to bag, that is the question!
If your fruit and veg comes in a bag then keep it in the bag. This will help to keep out air which will help it last longer, even if you’ve opened the package, just fold over the top. A plastic-wrapped cucumber lasts around three times as long than one removed from it’s wrap. The only exception is lettuce which lasts longer if you remove it from the bag and place it in a bowl of water as soon as you can, and keep topping up the water.
Milk
Nothing annoys me more than throwing away half a bottle of milk that has turned to cheese in my fridge, to avoid this put milk in the freezer and thaw out when needed. It can last for up to 6 weeks.
Yoghurt
Stick this in the fridge before it’s use by date and make yourself a tasty fro-yo treat or defrost in the fridge. It can last for 1 – 2 months.
Eggs
If you pop these in the freezer whole be prepared for an exploded mess! Crack eggs into an air tight container and beat a little before putting in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge and use within 3 days.
Potatoes
We’e all gone to pick up a spud to see it has started to grow into a little potato plant! Don’t stick these in the freezer raw (they will turn black) but boil for 5 minutes and then place in the freezer. You can simply cook from frozen and amazingly they can last up to 6 months.
I tend to measure a lot of food by eye, which tends to end up producing portions which are too big. Here are some simple measurements for common foods which we tend to go over the top with.
- Rice: 1/4 cup per person
- Peas: 3 heaped tablespoons per person
- Spaghetti: Create a ‘o’ shape with your thumb and index feet, slide your finger to touch the base of your thumb then fill the gap with your spaghetti!
Everyone loves a multibuy deal, don’t we? How often do you find yourself throwing out the unused items from these deals and wondering if you actually got good value? Stick to this cardinal rule: If it goes in the fridge resist the multibuy, if it’s something that can go in the cupboard then go nuts!
I hope these few tips come in handy in your kitchen and you can start saving some of those items you would otherwise be throwing out. Save yourself some money and think with your brain, not your bin!
