waste food

• millions of tonnes of food are thrown away each year - most of which could have been avoided
• households are big culprits when it comes to wasting food - fruits, vegetables and bread are all thrown out unnecessarily
• reasons for wasting food:

  • spoilage - overcooked, burnt, not stored properly, not kept at right temperature, passed use by date
  • confusion over best before dates and other sate marks, when people think food is no longer edible
  • too much food was cooked and leftovers arent used up
  • preparing food incorrectly ~
• a lot of food is wasted during production and by shops:

  • retailers reject food from producers if it is spoiled or damaged
  • imperfect food is often rejected by retailers, so its wasted
  • supermarkets stock more than they need, and unsold stock is binned, even if its safe to eat
  • offers in shops encourage people to buy more than they need
  • larger packs of food are better value for money, but is more than they need
• reducing food waste will not only help the environment, it will help people save money too
• to reduce food waste:

  • plan meals and correct portion sizes
  • correctly store food and pay attention to use by dates
  • use up the contents of your fridge before buying more food
  • use leftovers in meals the day after or freeze them for another time
  • use the whole food ie, bones and peelings in stocks
  • donate unwanted food to food banks
• food waste costs the average household 800 pounds a year