The cost of living is rising with gas and electricity prices going through the roof, and with fuel costs at a record high, many households are searching for ways to save money. Kevin Quigley, commercial director at the food waste recycling company Warrens Group is encouraging households who are feeling the squeeze to check whether adopting routines that prevent food waste at home might help them.
WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Program) estimates that on average, a family household wastes £730 annually by throwing edible food in the bin. With energy bills predicted to rise by 50% from April, and EDF energy stating that the average UK energy bill was £95 per month in September 2021, avoiding losing money through food waste would offer a significant saving in household costs.
Cutting back on food waste won’t only help tighten those purse strings, but it will benefit the environment too. Here are some simple steps from Kevin that can be taken to avoid food waste, save money, and also live more sustainably.
When appropriate – use the sniff test
Supermarket giant Morrisons announced recently that they are ditching their best before dates on their milk. This is to encourage customers to use the ‘sniff test’ instead, in a bid to rid households of unnecessary food waste. Calculations from WRAP highlighted that around 490,000,000 pints of milk go down the sink annually, and, by avoiding throwing away pints of milk that are still fine to consume, households will save some of their well-earned cash.
Reduce food waste at the touch of a button
It is all too tempting to add an extra side dish when you click and order a takeaway, with giants such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo offering so many delicious options but over ordering on a weekly takeaway and then throwing away leftovers is an unnecessary cost that can easily be avoided. Or if you do have leftovers – can you have them for lunch the next day? Alternatively, by using the app Too Good To Go, takeaway cravings can be satisfied, whilst also reducing food waste. Local restaurants and cafes offer ‘goodie bags’ at a reduced price to those on the app. By simply collecting the bags, which all contain food that expires on the day, customers can enjoy a treat at a reduced price, all while being sustainable.
Be innovative
The rise of the ‘social media chef’ has seen content creators turn their focus on food. TikTok is now a great way for budding chefs to hunt out recipes and use up ingredients that would usually go to waste. Money can be saved through getting creative when you’ve got an ingredient that needs using up. It’s estimated the equivalent of eight meals a week are wasted in the average UK family household – use up all your food in the fridge to avoid wasting money in this way and remember to get creative with those pack lunches now many of us are heading back into the office.