Not only is food waste bad for the planet, it’s also expensive and just altogether annoying.
The average UK household throws away hundreds of pounds' worth of perfectly edible food every year. Often that's because we're unsure what to do with leftovers, we've overbought at the supermarket or we don't store ingredients properly. According to Oddbox, around 70% of food waste occurs in our homes, after its left the farm.
To help make your supermarket shop go further, we've rounded up six simple tips from food waste experts, chefs and colleagues. From rescuing flat tonic to repurposing limp herbs, these easy tricks could save you money and keep good food out of the bin.
Flat tonic? Freeze it into ice cubes
Before you pour away the last flat dregs from a bottle of tonic, reach for an ice cube tray. Next time you make a G&T, you'll be able to chill your drink without watering it down. Genius!
In fact, food waste expert and chef Elly Pear goes a step further with her trusty tray, freezing everything from leftover coffee (for cold brew), egg whites and yolks for recipes, and tomato puree and red wine for adding to sauces.
Stale bread? Start a bread library
Slice and freeze bread as soon as you get it home and you'll always have toast, sandwiches and breadcrumbs on standby. No more discovering a mouldy loaf at the back of the bread bin.
There may be health benefits, too. According to Emily English, aka Em the Nutritionist, freezing bread increases its resistant starch content, which can help reduce blood sugar spikes and support gut health.
Limp herbs? Turn them into herb oils and compound butters
Blitz soft herbs with olive oil, keep in the fridge for zhuzhing up everything from pasta to pizza. Or blitz and mix them into softened butter to make a compound butter for basting steaks, fish or vegetables.
Sad veg? Make fridge-clear-out minestrone
"I usually end up making a VERY loosely defined 'minestrone' at least once a month with all the saddest root and leaf vegetables that have started to turn. It's usually a mix of three different kinds of kale, two sad carrots, a parsnip and any potatoes, and it can be bulked out with those stupidly small amounts of pasta you end up with, and the ugly end of parmesan rind from the fridge. Better still, it'll make many dinners and lunches." – Callum Black, GHI Testing Manager
Nearly empty mustard jar? Make dressing
“Before you throw away those jars of mustard, mayo or pesto lurking at the back of your fridge – stop. Just add olive oil, vinegar and seasoning, pop the lid back on and shake. It works just as well in a hummus tub, too.” – Linzi Pucino, GH Kitchen Manager
Sun-dried tomato oil? Don't throw it away
The oil from sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies and olives is packed with flavour. Use it to roast vegetables, fry eggs or start pasta sauces instead of pouring it down the sink.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
