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Cut back on food waste with these 5 easy tips

April 24, 2023

Cut back on waste and make cooking and serving easier with these handy suggestions…

1. Ginger peeling

Next time you need to peel ginger, try using a spoon. It removes the thick skin easily, even from the knotty bits. Use with the concave side facing you and pull towards you.

2. Freeze your own healthy snacks

Frozen fresh fruit makes a brilliant alternative to an ice lolly – with far fewer kilojoules. Line a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick baking paper and arrange sliced raspberries, peaches, blueberries or grapes in a single layer before freezing. Once frozen, transfer to small freezer bags. Keep for a month.

3. Scale down the pasta and rice mountain with these measuring guides:

Adult portion sizes are 100g of pasta or 75g of rice per person.
A mug is handy for measuring uncooked rice – a full mug is perfect for four adults.
Use handfuls for measuring shaped pasta – two handfuls per adult and one handful per child.

4. Cut down on food waste by thinking laterally…

Blitz up any extra berries with some butter to make a colourful and delicious spread for bread or scones. Refrigerate in an airtight container for three days or freeze for a month.
Biscuits that have lost their crunch can be mixed with melted butter and used as a cheesecake base.
Use the last drops of jam by rinsing remnants with warm water and adding to a gravy pan.
The cake past its best could be used in a trifle.
Add some paprika or chilli to that almost empty marmalade jar, put the lid on and shake to create a marinade.

READ MORE: HACKED! Managing your food waste

5. One-off vintage teacups?

Don’t let them languish at the back of the cupboard – get them out and use them as dessert dishes. They make ideal individual pots for refrigerated desserts, such as a decadent chocolate mousse or lemon posset.

ALSO SEE: Conscious cooks: A sustainable food trend that’s here to stay