Runnymede residents urged to Love Food, Hate Waste

Nine out of ten Surrey residents admit to throwing away some uneaten food, according to research carried out on behalf of the Surrey Waste Partnership.

A recent waste prevention survey for the partnership, which is made up of Surrey County Council and the 11 district and borough councils in the county, showed that fruit, vegetables and salad feature high on the list of foods thrown away by residents. Half of those surveyed said they throw away completely unopened packs of food and two thirds throw away food that's been allowed to go off.

Food waste accounts for 20% of the waste generated by Surrey households every year with disposal costs in the region of £7.6m. So the Surrey Waste Partnership has launched a countywide Love Food Hate Waste campaign to encourage residents to reduce the amount of food they waste.

National research shows that an average family can save up to £50 a month on their shopping bill if they take steps to reduce their food waste and there are significant environmental benefits too. The energy, water and packaging resources used in food production, transportation and storage all go to waste when perfectly good food is thrown away. 



Use it, don't waste it

8.3 million tonnes of food and drink goes to waste in the UK every year.

The Surrey Waste Partnership is running Surrey's own Love Food Hate Waste campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the need to reduce food waste.

£12 billion worth of food and drink goes to waste in the UK every year, so the Love Food Surrey campaign aims to show families how they could save up to £50 a month on their food shopping bill, simply by cutting down on throwing away food.

Shopping, cooking and eating habits are hard to change, but we hope the following tips will inspire you to start thinking about what you can do to cut down on wasting food, which will ultimately benefit your pocket and the environment too.

Shop smart

• Before you do your next big shop, check what you have left, be creative and try something new.
• Make a shopping list so you only buy what you need.
• Buy your food loose where possible to avoid buying more than you need.

Get your family to help and suggest what meals they'd like to have that week. Then you can work out a weekly meal plan.

Cook less

• Weighing and measuring food helps with achieving perfect portions, removing the guesswork.
• There are many cooking utensils that can help - spaghetti measure, tablespoon, measuring spoon, weighing scales.
• If you do make too much, use leftovers for lunch the next day or freeze to eat it later.

Don't be afraid of trial and error; if you don't get it right the first time adjust the measurement for next time.

Storage tips

• Keep your fridge, freezer and cupboard stocked with basic food staples so you can use them with leftover vegetables, salad or meat.
• Store food properly - preserve and your food will live extra days, weeks and even months.
• Keep the fridge at a cool 1 - 5 degrees and chilled food will stay fresh for longer.
• Freeze food that won't get eaten in time.

The 'best before' dates are more about quality than safety, except for eggs. So when the date runs out it doesn't mean that the food will be harmful, but it might begin to lose its flavour and texture.

Why is food waste bad for the environment?

The amount of food we throw away is a waste of resources. Just think about all the energy, water and packaging used in food production, transportation and storage. This all goes to waste when we throw away perfectly good food.

County food team hit the road

A team from the Surrey Waste Partnership will be running roadshows around the county in the coming months, in a drive to get more residents reducing their food waste. Visit lovefoodsurrey.com for more details.

For more tasty tips on cutting the cost of your food bill and making the most of your leftovers, visit www.lovefoodsurrey.com

* The Surrey Waste Partnership is made up of Surrey County Council and the 11 district and borough councils in the county. We aim to manage Surrey's waste in the most efficient, economic and sustainable way possible.