Top tips for tackling food waste

Reducing food waste helps us live more sustainably by not only helping the environment, but also by not wasting our money.

Moving into Halls means you’ll be taking care of your own meals and cooking so we’re sharing our top tips for making the most out of your food shop!

Snap your shelves

Reducing food waste starts before you even leave your flat. Take a photo of your fridge and cupboards before you leave to go shopping to avoid buying items you already have. Or make a list of the items you need to buy so that you aren’t tempted to buy more than what you need.

Triple check your dates

When in a rush it’s easy to pick up items in the supermarket without checking the best before and use by dates. Have a check of your products to make sure that it’s not going out of date too soon. Going for items with longer dates on will help prolong your shop.

Frozen > fresh

Frozen foods can last longer than fresh and can be more budget friendly too e.g. fresh fruit and vegetables can go off quickly if not stored properly. Buying a bag of frozen fruit and veg means you will always have something in stock.

Plan!

It might not be realistic to plan each meal while at University but thinking about what ingredients you buy and how you can use them in a meal will save you lots of money, time and waste. Rather than buying ingredients that you like the look of in the shops, have a think about what meal you could make with those items.

Take care with ‘deals’

Deals or offers in supermarkets can be tempting but can also result in food waste if you buy more than what you need. Deals for items with longer use by/best before dates are helpful for saving a few pennies, but if it’s on fresh items why not check with your flatmates if they want to share?

Don’t throw out leftovers

Buy yourself a few reusable tubs for any leftovers that you can keep for lunch the next day or freeze. Cooking in batches is also a great way to save time and money but make sure that you reheat your food safely. If freezing any items, use a label to show what the food is and what date you froze it on. This is particularly important when sharing a fridge or freezer with flatmates.

Not sure what to cook?

If you find yourself with left over ingredients and no idea on what to make, try using SuperCook to find out what you can cook up! Simply put in your ingredients and it will offer you lots of creative suggestions on what to make. 

Want to share your own sustainable food tips? Tag us on Instagram @uwe.studentlife