Waste not want not - five tips to reduce food waste and save

Christian's Against Poverty (CAP) monthly tips and advice

We can all make a difference to our planet by reducing the amount of food we throw out, and with Food Waste Action Week underway this month, we at Christians Against Poverty (CAP) want to offer some practical tips to help. By reducing food waste, you may be able to save money as well as have a positive impact in your home and community. 

1. Organise your food

Try organising your food storage so that you can easily find what food you have available to use. Decanting pantry items like flour and pasta into clear jars labelled with their use-by dates will make it easier to see what you have and when it needs to be used by (you could reuse old coffee jars to save money). Arrange food items by expiry date, with the shorter shelf life items at the front – this will enable you to use up the ingredients in your meals before they go out of date.

2. Buy what you’ll use

Although it can sometimes be cheaper to buy in bulk, it may only prove economical if you actually use all the food. So if you do buy in bulk, plan a few recipes first to make sure you’re using up the ingredients – and freeze any leftovers.

3. Do a regular stock-check

Try and get in the habit of looking through your food cupboards every week to check expiry dates and items that have run out or are getting low. You might find it helpful to keep a record in a notebook, or a simple list stuck on the fridge that you can refer to – find a method that works best for you. 

4. Plan for the week

Before you go shopping, plan your meals in advance, and work out exactly what you need to buy. Make a shopping list and stick to it. This reduces the chance of overspending and restricts potential food waste. You could keep a diary or notebook just for meal planning and shopping lists, or if you use an app on your phone, you could also add links to recipes and include notes of any ingredients you need. 

5. Give away leftovers 

Leftovers don’t need to be wasted – why not give any surplus food to a friend or neighbour that you know may benefit from receiving food parcels or a home cooked meal? You could also consider donating any tinned/non-fresh food to charity. Local churches and charities that run community outreach work will often welcome food donations to give to people in need.

If you're struggling to afford groceries visit capuk.org/help to see what free services are available in your area. CAP is a debt help charity that offers holistic, face-to-face support, money coaching, life skills groups and job clubs. 

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is a UK charity working with over 800 affiliated churches to deliver debt help, budgeting guidance, support to find work, life skills education and more. Visit capuk.org to find out more.