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Keep Crushin' It

If there’s good to be found in Lockdown, it’s that many of us have had time to stop, pause and think about how we do things. Across the UK, we’ve
wasted a third less food than we usually would. But now life is beginning to go back to a form of normal, motivations to waste less food are waning as restrictions ease. With over 4.5 million tonnes of edible food wasted from UK homes every year, it’s not just our bank accounts that are affected by food waste – it’s our planet too.
The process of growing, making, distributing, storing and cooking our food uses loads of energy, fuel and water and this process generates 30% of the world’s CO₂e greenhouse gas levels. The huge amount of resources that goes into the production of all this food amounts to the same amount of
CO₂e as 4.6 million return flights from London to Perth, Australia!
So really, it’s a no-brainer to keep as much food out of the bin as possible, and to start wasting less and saving more – both money and
the environment. Six easy ways to reduce food waste at home:

  • Before you head to the shops, check what’s in your cupboards, fridge and freezer. Make a list or snap a shelfie so you know what you have at home.
  • Turn your fridge temperature down to between 0 and 5°C to keep food fresher for longer.
  • Not got around to eating that meal you were sure to gobble down this week? Pop it in the freezer. You can freeze more than you think, check out the Love Food Hate Waste A-Z of Food Storage for help with all your freezing questions.
  • Defrost like a boss! Once you know what’s in the freezer, it’s just about a little bit of forward planning to save money and a last-minute dash to the shops.
  • if you bought a load of pasta, rice, and other cupboard essentials at the start of lockdown, now’s the time for them to shine. Not sure how much rice or pasta a person actually needs? Find the answer with the Love Food Hate Waste Portion Planner.
  • Get creative with your kitchen creations and find ingredient swaps, recipe ideas and leftover hacks on the Love Food Hate Waste website here.