Food Waste

· Buy vegetables whole. They will go off quicker once they have been washed and cut.

· When shopping make a list and stick to it, so you only buy what you need. When making your list check what you have left in the fridge to make sure you do not automatically buy more of things that have not yet run out.

· Be careful when it comes to supermarket offers, and do not buy bargains just for the sake of it. Ignore ‘two-for-one’ offers on perishables that you will not be able to eat all of and avoid buying lots of reduced items that you had no previous intention of buying, or you will end up with too much food (although ‘two for the price of one offers’ can be useful if you’re shopping with a friend and sure you’ll be able to eat everything you buy)

· Dried and canned foods such as rice, pasta, tinned tomatoes and baked beans are generally cheaper from the supermarket. Buy these in bulk to make them even cheaper, as you don’t usually have to worry about them going off.

· For fresh foods such as vegetables, meat and fish, the more upmarket the area the more expensive independent shops tend to be and the more ‘downmarket’ the less expensive, with supermarkets more consistent middle of the road. For instance, if you’re at St George’s you’ll probably find fresh food cheaper in local shops in Tooting than in Wimbledon.

· When you buy fresh foods locally, buy enough for just one meal or a few days. That way you can judge how much you need more easily and avoid having to throw away gone off leftovers.

· Alternatively, cook double and freeze half of it. That way you can use up your fresh ingredients in one go and the finished product can be kept for quite a while.

· Try and use up any spare ingredients you have lying around in the fridge and cupboards. Check if you have any food that is about to go off and be creative as to what you can do with it. A number of websites give suggestions for meals based on the left over food in your kitchen.

· If you do have leftovers from meals keep them. Make sure you are well stocked with Tupperware, put the food inside, and stick it in the fridge. You can use your leftovers in a packed lunch or eat them the next day with a baked potato, salad, pitta pocket or other leftovers. This cuts down on the number of extra meals you have to make and enables you to have free/cheap meals.

· Although you should not ignore ‘use by’ dates, which explain when something stops being safe to eat, be aware that ‘best before’ dates merely offer guidelines as to when products may be at their best. Judge how the product looks and smells to see if you can eat it. You may be able to eat food past its ‘best before’ date, although of course it is important to ensure that food has not gone off and is safe to consume.