Fight your food waste in 2021

"If food waste were a country, it would be the 3rd largest in terms of emissions, behind only the US and China..."

~UN FAO Report 2013

Food waste is a shockingly large contributor to environmental damage. The good news is that it's something we can all easily reduce in our lifestyles, saving money at the same time! Read on to find out how...

Try composting!

A lot of the harm food waste causes is due to the greenhouse gases it releases when it breaks down in landfill sites. The easiest way to circumvent this is composting as much as you can.

Many local councils now offer compostable waste bins. However, even if your council doesn't, setting up a compost bin in your garden is inexpensive and simple. You could even build your own from pallet wood or an old plastic crate.

The following items can be composted almost everywhere:

• Fruit & vegetable scraps
• Bread, oats, flour, beans
• Garden waste
• Plain cardboard
• Coffee & tea (check if the teabags contain plastic first)
• Pet bedding (e.g. hay & sawdust)

Share & save food!

There are several popular food-sharing apps that allow you to collect spare food locally.

OLIO allows users to give away food and non-food items with others nearby for free. All you need to do is download the app and browse local offerings!

Too Good To Go works with cafes and restaurants which package up excess food and drinks at the end of the day and sell them as heavily discounted "Magic Bags" in the Too Good To Go app.

Plan ahead!

We've all been there: somehow there's a random broccoli yellowing at the back of the fridge and you've forgotten when you bought it or why. If this happens a lot, consider planning your meals for the coming week before you head out shopping. Writing a shopping list and sticking to it prevents buying perishable food you don't need. Likewise, before opening a new packet of anything at home, make sure you've planned for how you'll finish it before it goes off.

Overlook the looks!

Unusual shapes account for up to 40% of wasted fruit and veg - even though it has no impact on the taste. Asda, Lidl, Morrisons and Aldi have all started selling Wonky Veg boxes at discounted prices. There are lots of subscription boxes online too! Plus, this can be a great way to save those pennies.

Feeling frosty!

Did you know that your freezer is more efficient when it's full? Freezing food is an excellent way to make it last longer and more items can be happily frozen without reducing the quality than you may have realised:

• Salads
• Yoghurt
• Chillies
• Pasta
• Bread - you can even toast it directly from frozen
• Garlic
• Berries
• Cheese

Grow your own!

We're all now spending more time at home than ever before, so why not try a new hobby? Gardening is an excellent activity for your physical and mental well-being. Plus, growing your own fruit and veg is the easiest way to avoid pesticides and food miles.

Radishes, strawberries, herbs and salad lettuce are easy starter plants that require minimal maintenance and quickly produce tasty crops. They're also perfect for small spaces and windowsill planters.

More resources

Future Brew - An initiative set up by University of Southampton students, Future Brew makes sustainable beer from leftover bread donated by supermarkets. Primarily sold at the campus pub, they now offer canned beer online too!

Food banks - The Trussell Trust maintains an online map of food banks, making it really easy to find one local to you: https://www.trusselltrust.org

Other ideas?

Share your top food rescue tips in the comments!

About Me

I have been volunteering with BioCycle - a student-led food waste recycling scheme - for almost 2 years now. Our aim is to help Southampton residents live more sustainably by collecting and composting their food waste using bikes and trailers. BioCycle is now a huge part of my life and I usually ride 5 times a week, as well as supporting coordinator activities.