7 ways to reduce food waste

1. Take a shopping list

It seems like a no-brainer, but planning meals in advance is the easiest way to avoid buying items you don’t need and won’t use.

2.Buy less groceries more frequently

If you can, try to replenish fresh produce and other perishables every few days rather than buying a week’s worth in the hope that you’ll use everything.

3.Cook only what you need

An effective way to reduce food waste (and the waistline) is to reduce portion sizes, so cook only what is required rather than pouring enough pasta to feed an army.

4.Store food better

Correct storage can add days, weeks and even months to your food.

5.Understand expiration dates

Knowing what is meant by ‘best-before’ and ‘use-by’ could mean the difference between emptying the contents of your fridge to make a delicious dinner and throwing away a fridge full of perfectly edible food.

6.Make leftovers your friend

Leftovers contribute over a quarter of food waste but there are plenty of creative uses for them.

7.Grow your own herbs

Herbs can make almost any dish tastier, however they can be expensive to buy and a lot of the time we only use half of what we buy while the rest goes limp.