Top tips to cut your festive food bill
Wychavon is encouraging residents to get #FoodSavvy this Christmas by sharing their top tips for cutting festive food bills.
Food waste is a year-round problem with the average family binning about £60 of food a month. Research shows about a third of the contents of Wychavon residents' black bins is food.
Sadly food waste increases significantly at Christmas time but cutting down on what gets thrown away doesn't have to be a chore.
As part of its #FoodSavvy campaign Wychavon is sharing its top five ways to cut down on Christmas food waste and save people money.
Write a list and check it twice
A shopping list and meal planner are the most powerful tools you have. That way you ensure you only buy what you need. Example meal planners can be downloaded from Wychavon's #Foodsavvy web page.
Make friends with your freezer
Your freezer is your friend and will help you make sure you make the most of your leftovers and use every penny you spend to feed friends and family and not your bin.
Put leftovers into the fridge or freezer, in a sealed container, within two hours if you can. They will stay okay in the fridge for up to two days or put them in the freezer if you need more time.
Keep it seasonal
Buying seasonal vegetables is often cheaper and easier to find. We are blessed to live in an area with so many farm shops and outlets selling local produce. You don't have to stick with just potatoes and parsnips. Try out colourful butternut squashes, versatile cauliflower, leeks, beetroot and kale instead.
Share the load
Christmas is the giving season, so why not make the most of your loved ones' generosity? Ask family and friends to contribute to dinner and then offload some of the leftovers in return. If there's still too much food to handle, why not share it with friends and neighbours? Share the neighbourly love, or try out food sharing apps.
Make Christmas the gift that keeps on giving
Turn leftovers and unused veg into an array of Christmas presents. To transform your old cabbage into a glorious gift, all you'll need is a few spices, some salt and an empty jar to make a tasty/ trendy Kimchi. If fermenting isn't your thing, why not try preserving fruit, in a chutney or jam? You'll never be in a present pickle again!
Cllr Emma Stokes, Executive Board Member for Resident and Customer Services on Wychavon District Council, said: "Minimising food waste during the festive season doesn't have to be a chore. With a pinch of planning and a spoonful of knowledge, Christmas can cost less and leave you plenty of time for festive TV and board games."
The #FoodSavvy campaign is run by Wychavon, Worcestershire County Council and environmental charity Hubbub. Throughout the year top tips have been shared with residents about how to cut down on bread waste and get back to basics. In January we will be sharing more information on making the best use of the freezer.
To find out more visit www.wychavon.gov.uk/food-savvy or sign up for our waste and recycling e-newsletter at www.wychavon.gov.uk/email-alerts.