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Instead of heading to the bin, let Kenwood inspire you with one of our delicious recipes, to reduce food waste at home.
Potatoes on the turn? Step away from the bin and take a look at our comforting Potato and Cauliflower curry. Roughly chop your left over spuds to create this tasty, vibrant dish, which is sure to become a firm family favourite.
Carrot cake as you've never seen it. Use those spare carrots at the back for the fridge to whip up these delicious pancakes, oozing with maple syrup and topped with whatever nuts you may have. The perfect breakfast or brunch and zero waste. Result!
Move over banana bread, we have a new treat in store! These chocolate-chip filled muffins, are an easy way to use up bananas, and guaranteed to be a hit.
Leftover tomatoes? Add to sauces or pasta, or try our tomato-topped focaccia with a drizzle of zingy pesto. As simple as that, enjoy a little taste of Italy from the comfort of your home.
We've all had leftover bread hanging around, but with a few dried herbs and spices, these wasted loaves can be transformed into crunchy breadcrumbs, perfect for coating perfect fish or pork. Try these breaded fish fillets with a simple side salad, for a quick mid-week meal.
A simple way to cut down on the food waste at home is to check you’re storing your produce correctly and not causing it to go off prematurely. For foods with a labelled best before date, remember the date will only be accurate if you store the food according to the instructions on the label, be it in a cool dry place or in the fridge. Fresh items such as potatoes, onions and tomatoes should be kept at room temperature rather than in the fridge, while be careful what sits next to your bananas in the fruit bowl. Bananas emit ethylene gas while ripening which causes other fruit and veg to ripen more quickly. This can actually be handy if you want to speed up the ripening of an unripe avocado.
The peel in many vegetables and fruits is high antioxidants, fibre and vitamins so put down the peeler and embrace the goodness. Not only is it a waste of time, money and nutrients, fruit and veg peeling contibutes to tonnes of food waste every year. If you can't resist peeling, save the skins! Potato skins can be baked to make crispy snacks or bring root veg peelings to the boil to make a broth or stock, which can be strained and stored in the freezer.
Many of us and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee to start our day right, but all these leftover grounds and granules add up. To reduce waste, cool and store your coffee grounds and try creating some indulgent espresso brownies, mocha cookies or even a dry-steak rub. You can be equally adventurous with leftover teabags, the granules from which can be used to subtly flavour biscuit doughs and cupcakes.
Food waste isn't limited to fresh ingredients; many of our favourite foods can get lost at the back of the cupboards. Leftover nuts, seeds and oats can all be processed to make of homemade flours, ideal for creating an array of sweet treats, from nutty cakes, to frangipanes and even pancakes. Found an almost empty jar or peanut butter? Instead, add into overight oats, make a tasty satay salad dressing or even a hot chocolate with a twist. So next time you're looking for ingredients to use up, don't neglect your store cupboards!
Another easy way to use up any leftover fruits and vegetables is by blending or pureeing. Simply use a food processor or blender to make soups, smoothies, smoothie bowls, compotes, or even homemade sorbets and ice-creams.
Make the freezer your friend. Freezing is a fantastic way to make your food go further. From berries and fruits for quick-to-make smoothies, to juice pulp ice cubes or herb-filled flavour cubes, the possibilities are endless. Bread, butter, cheese and milk are another gret examples of everyday staples that can be frozen, and used at a later stage, helping you to reduce your household waste without breaking a sweat.
If you're looking for a handy way to preserve veg you can't use up in one go, get comfortable with pickling and fermenting. Reimagine your excess veg with coleslaws, kimchis, pickles and sauerkraut, which are not only great for gut health, but can last for a couple of months- the ultimate hack against food waste.
By doubling recipe quantities and cooking multiple portions you can freeze, you'll not only save time and effort but you're less likely to waste ingredients. Batch cooking is a great way to use leftover herbs and fresh veg. Mirepoix for example uses up fresh veg that is ordinarily thrown away and makes a great base for soups and stews when you're short on time. Top tips for freezing: always ensure food is thoroughly cooked through and portion large quantities of curries, soups, and chillis into containers and bags for individual meals.
Research shows that almost half of the food thrown away by the average household could have been composted. Composting food waste turns into nutrient rich food for your garden which will improve the soil’s condition, giving your plants and flowers a real boost. Vegetable peelings, fruit peel, strawberry tops and even coffee grounds and egg shells can all go into a compost bin. Then all you need to do is close the lid and wait for nature do its thing.
Attention should be paid to the 'use by' dates found on products with a limited shelf-life such as meat, dairy and salad items, which tells you when the item is no longer safe to consume. Check for items nearer the back of the shelves, particularly if you're not planning on using it immediately, as this is often where supermarkets will store food with longer 'use by' dates. 'Best before' dates simply indicate when item is in its prime in terms of taste, look and smell. On tinned, dried and frozen foods predominantly, these dates are relevant to the quality and not food safety. So think twice about throwing away food that's past its 'best before' date.
Using food waste apps are a really easy way that we can all help tackle the issue of food waste with minimum effort, but maximum reward. Apps such as 'Too Good to Go', 'Olio' and 'Karma', help rescue perfectly good food from nearby eateries that’d otherwise be heading to landfill, and as a bonus, get it at a fraction of the price-or even for free.
In the past, our desire for good-looking fruit and veg meant tonnes of so-called ‘ugly’ veg never made it to the shop floor, despite being perfectly edible. Fortunately, attitudes are now changing and in recent years, food retailers and consumers alike have been embracing oddly-sized or wonky produce which is having a profound impact on the reduction of global food waste. Many major groceries now promote an ‘ugly veg’ aisle, and ingredient box subscription companies have focused their energies on including somewhat 'unsightly' fruit and veg in their deliveries, which might otherwise have gone to waste.
Planning day-to-day will reduce the risk of overbuying and throwing away food, so embrace the 'little and often' approach. Take stock of what you have at home before shopping to avoid doubling up, and stick to the list. Be wary of the 'family size' and ‘buy one get one free’ offers, a false economy that often results in food waste if you don't have a plan to use them. Planning your shopping like this will help you save on your food bills too, making these small efficiencies better for your planet and your pocket!
One of the most effective ways of reducing how much food you throw away is to plan your meals in advance. Think about what you’re going to eat each day, what you need to buy and how you can use any leftover fresh ingredients before they go off. Making some hearty homemade soup is a great way to use up veg and you can tweak the recipe to work with what you’ve got.