With Christmas just around the corner, the Vale of Glamorgan Council has teamed up with Waste Awareness Wales to show people how to stretch their festive budgets further – simply by avoiding food waste.
In a normal week an average family of four throws away £12 on food in their black bags. This Christmas, the amount of money we waste is likely to be much more.
22,000 more homes have joined the Vale Council’s popular kitchen waste recycling scheme this December, allowing them to recycle most food waste conveniently at the kerbside; including festive foods such as turkey carcasses, brussel sprout peelings and egg shells leftover from baking.
However, it’s better to reduce food waste in the first place rather than recycle it. Being aware of simple measures you can take to reduce food waste can make a big difference to your festive food bills and the environment, as Cllr Geoff Cox, Cabinet Member for Visible and Building Services at the Vale of Glamorgan Council, explains.
Cllr Cox said: “Few of us realise how much food we throw away and how much money we’re wasting in the process. At Christmas we all want to enjoy ourselves, but there are loads of creative ways we can cater for the festive season to avoid wasting our hard-earned cash.
“I want everyone to understand how easy it is to cut their Christmas food bills and help the environment at the same time. I hope when they see how much money they can save, people will make it their New Year’s resolution to keep cutting down on the amount of food they throw away.”
Waste Awareness Wales’ Georgina Taubman said: “Throwing away food is expensive for families at any time of year but it can be particularly apparent at Christmas. That’s why I am delighted to be working with the Vale of Glamorgan Council again this year to show people how easy it is to save money with our Love Food Hate Waste Christmas tips.
“Simple measures like writing, and sticking to, food shopping lists, adopting better portion control and storing food correctly will all help avoid food waste, helping to cut the cost of Christmas. Remember, there’s no need to panic buy huge stocks of food – most of the supermarkets will be open again on Boxing Day!”
Five festive top tips:
- Use your kitchen waste recycling collection – the biggest problem for many of us is we just don’t know that we’re wasting too much food. By disposing of kitchen waste separately, you’ll see exactly how much you throw away, which will encourage you to cut it down.
- Plan before you shop – it’s no wonder many of us buy too much if we hit the shops without a plan. Making sure you know who you’re catering for and what you’ll need for each recipe and writing a list before you go will help you avoid overspending. Don’t overestimate the size of the turkey you’ll need. Even the biggest turkey fan will be sick of it if faced with it for a week!
- Portion control – Take the guesswork out of food portions. When cooking for the family, take a few minutes to measure food out so you get the right portion per person, avoiding excess food and waste. Find out more: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/everyday_perfect_portions
- Make the most of your fridge/freezer – Make sure they’re at the right temperature and stock up on storage tubs. All you need to do is remember to label everything with the date you put it in the fridge/freezer.
- Love your leftovers – There’s no point placing food in the freezer or fridge if it will go from there straight into the bin. No one expects a three course lunch on Boxing Day or on the evening of Christmas Day; be creative with your leftovers rather than starting more meals from scratch. Visit: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for recipe ideas.
For more recipe ideas and information visit the kitchen waste recycling pages, email [email protected] or telephone them on 01446 700111.
