Christmas | Zero Food Waste

Plan your meals in advance. Make a meal plan for the Christmas holidays, it really helps to reduce waste!

I suggest you make a rough plan of main meals and lunches and then go ad-hoc with breakfasts. It also helps with stress levels if you have any family staying. You can also get the kids involved here with appointing your little helpers for meals.

You can freeze so much and of course get ahead with Christmas treats before the big day. Just remember to label everything clearly so you know what’s what and when you made it.

Use your leftovers in Christmas gifts! Ferment, preserve and pickle veggies and any old fruits – kimchi and sauerkraut are absolutely delicious and so good for gut health. It’s very on trend at the moment: the brighter the veggie the better. All you need is an old jam jar to make it in. You will find an abundance of recipes online.

Put slices of oranges and lemons in a very low oven to dry and use for wrapping presents. It looks so beautiful and you can also add string and hang them on the tree!

Think about how you can use leftovers. For example, make a stock out of roast dinner leftovers and this can be used to make a soup or frozen for another day. Things like bubble and squeak with leftover veggies for next day brunch is fab.

Bread should be kept in a cool dark place like a bread bin or cupboard, potatoes and onions should never be put in the fridge. Glass jars are perfect for storing leftover food in the fridge or you can just pop it on a saucer with a bowl over the top. Keep your veggies fresh in the fridge. We tend to have the heating on in the winter and so fresh foods can go off quicker in the heat.

Freeze vegetables and fresh fruit that you can’t use in time. These will be perfect for soups and stews and fruits for cakes and smoothies.

It's off putting and will result in more waste. Remember you can always come back for seconds.

You will end up impulse buying so much more than you actually need.

Get involved with a local charity or community group. When you see how little some people have it really brings home the reality of how much we don’t actually need. It’s really good to give back to your local community in whatever small way you can.

Share Surplus Food – did you know you can use food sharing apps or local Facebook Groups to share surplus food?

If you do have leftovers that you really can’t do anything with then compost them. Check your local area for compost schemes who may come and collect from you.

If you have friends or family members staying over for the Christmas period, send them away with arms full of your leftover food.

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