It’s Food Waste Action Week from 7 to 13 March so we are asking residents to really try and reduce the amount of food wasted.
Reduce your food waste
Across the world, roughly one third of all food produced for human consumption goes to waste and on average, every household throws away around £15 of wasted food each week.
Maidstone Borough Council is encouraging everyone to use a food caddy for their waste food.
As the average family wastes so much money each day on food waste, here are some tips to help you save money and do your bit.
- Check your cupboards and fridge before shopping
- Write a weekly meal planner and a shopping list before going to the shops
- Check your fridge temperature regularly. Best way is to get a fridge thermometer and place this in the middle of the fridge in a glass of water overnight. Ideal fridge temperature should be between 1 to 4 degrees C
- We’ve all cooked too much occasionally, but don’t waste it. Let it cool and freeze it to eat another day or make a soup for tomorrows lunch
- The lower part of your fridge is the coldest part. Store items (like meat) which require colder conditions at the bottom
Store onions and potatoes in a dark cool cupboard - You can freeze bread, store it in the correct portion size and then toast it straight from the freezer.
Almost every house in Maidstone is offered the separate weekly food waste collection service. The material must be presented in the 23 litre brown/orange food caddy along-side your other wheeled bin. Food waste must not be in plastic bags unless they are compostable, but can be wrapped in newspaper to keep your caddy clean.
To help demystify food storage, Love Food Hate Waste has developed a new A–Z food storage guide to point people in the right direction. The guide will tell you whether foods last better in the cupboard or fridge, and whether or not something can be safely frozen.
Potatoes – these belong in a cool, dark place, not the fridge.
Eggs – these belong in their original box and in the fridge. Did you know you can freeze them if you’re worried about not using them in time? Separate the whites and yolks and pop them in a labelled container.
Tomatoes – these can be stored in the fridge to make them last longer