DON’T overdo it this Christmas! That’s the message from the organisation that has to cart off all our waste.
Nationally, It has been revealed that, on average, we waste five million Christmas puddings, two million turkeys, and 74 million mince pies each year in the UK, says Worcestershire County Council, which runs the local household recycling centres.
Buying too much, cooking more than we need and not making good use of leftovers means extra food waste at Christmas.
Some 25 to 30 per cent of global carbon emissions are created by growing and producing the food we eat, so food waste not only wastes money but also impacts the environment.
Councillor Tony Miller, whose portfolio covers the environment at County Hall, said: “It’s unbelievable that on average each family throws away more than £60 worth per household of food at Christmas time.
“We all tend to buy a bit more just in case we run out of food as we have friends and family round at our homes.
“We’d just like people to think carefully about what they are buying and think ‘do I really need this? If you have any leftover food, consider what else you could make with the leftovers or store it in the freezer.”
Tony’s top three tips for reducing Christmas food waste are:
1) Plan in advance: Only buy what you really need – do you really need those extra crackers, nuts or dates, ‘because it’s Christmas’?
2) Use your freezer as your friend: Freeze what you don’t eat at Christmas to use another day.
3) Become a leftovers champion: Use your leftovers – and it doesn’t have to be turkey curry for the next week as there are loads of recipes online.
For more on wasting less food, visit: www.letswasteless.com
