You all know that we take our sustainability credentials very seriously – and with that we are more than proud to support the first ever Food Waste Action Week taking place this week!! This is thanks to the hard work of the Guardians of Grub campaign, who aim to Rise Up Against Food Waste!
Food Waste Action Waste aims to bring together businesses, media, brands and more to raise awareness of the impact of Food Waste on our planet.
And here’s a few little facts for you to set the scene:
- 1/3 of all food is waste, in a world where 1 in 9 people go hungry AND where it contributes to 8% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions
- The Hospitality and Food Sector industries throw out 1,100,000 tonnes of food a year, 75% of which is avoidable
- That is at a cost of £3.2 billion a year
THAT’S NUTS!!!
Finding new ways to reduce waste has always been something we’re incredibly passionate about. Our food waste is taken away to be made into bio fuel, but the more we can reduce our overall waste by, the better – both for the planet and our pockets!
With that in mind, we cannot be more proud to support the Guardians of Grub campaign.
They have so many fantastic resources on their website, from a checklist, Tracking Calculator and training course, which will be given out for our Staff. We cannot wait to put them into full practise when we re-open!
You can find out more about the Guardians of Grub campaign and its FREE resources to try out here: Rise up against food waste • Guardians of Grub
But we also want to give a few tips to help you all reduce food waste at home!
Because did you know that 70% of food waste, equalling to 4.5 million tonnes of it, comes from our homes…!!!
So here are our tips to help you waste less food in your home:
- Plan your weekly shop and only get in what you need. We know it is easier said than done, but the less brought in, the less is wasted
- Organise the fridge and cupboard stock. The rule is First In, First Out
- Store food correctly. If the instructions say on the label to put it in the fridge once opened (for example), do as they say
- Be aware of expiry/best before dates on food labels
- Be aware how much you make. A lot of food waste happens due to making too much so tweak your portion sizes as appropriate. Or the other option is…..
- …. Freeze your leftovers to make them last longer
- Get creative with your meals. Experiment with recipes and substitute ingredients you may not have with ones you do
- Get to know your local greengrocer, butcher and fishmonger (if you have any close by) and ask them for tips on what to use for any products you’re not sure what to do with
- Check the temperature of your fridge regularly. If you spot a lot of fridge produce going off quicker than usual, it may be that your fridge is too warm. A standard refrigerator should be 1-4 degrees Celsius
- Make use of the compost bin. Many councils supply a bin for you (contact your local council to check what’s available for you); but if that’s not the case, here’s Which’s guide to the best compost bins for you: Best and worst compost bins – Which?
Share your stories on cutting food waste with the hastags #foodwasteactionweek and #guardiansofgrub
Find out other sustainability tips here on our blog: Sustainability Archives | The Wellbeing Farm Wedding and Events Venue
