Love Food Hate Waste

With everyone feeling the squeeze when it comes to the weekly shop there has never been a better time to stop and think about the food we buy and what we throw away. The latest research shows that the average family with children could be throwing away as much as £610 worth of food each year, that’s over £50 every month, most of which could have been eaten.

Ove avoided being thrown away 40% is fruit and vegetables, adding up to a massive f the food that could ha£3 billion worth per year in the UK. The top five fruit and vegetables which get thrown away whole, without even being touched include:

• Potatoes – 5.1 million a day
• Apples – 4.4 million a day
• Tomatoes – 2.8 million a day
• Bananas – 1.6 million a day
• Oranges – 1.2 million a day

Shocking isn’t it? The impact is not just felt in your purse, but the environment too. Most of this food gets sent to landfill where it rots and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, which is contributing to climate change.
There are however some easy storage tips that can help you keep your fruit and vegetables at their best for longer:

• Keeping fruit and vegetables in the fridge. Oranges and pears will last for up to two weeks longer and peppers, carrots and tomatoes for a week if stored loose or two weeks if kept in a polyethylene bag.
• Keep mushrooms in the fridge in a paper bag.
• Don’t store bananas or pineapples in the fridge but keep in a cool place.
• Keep potatoes and onions in a dark place at a cool 15°C to stop them greening or sprouting.

If you buy pre-packed fruit and vegetables, or take them home in a free grocery bag, keep them stored in their packaging or the loosely tied bag to help them keep fresher for longer. If however you prefer to buy loose and keep all that packaging at the shops, then there are a range of reusable bags or containers available specifically designed for storing fruit and vegetables. Remember fresh fruit and vegetables need to breathe so don’t store them in sealed containers.

For more information on reducing food waste there are endless tips, portion sizes and recipes that can be found at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com, you can even add your own tips.