Council shares great tips on reducing food waste
Households in Dudley borough are being urged to play their part in the fight against climate change by reducing food waste, and they could save money in the process.
Wednesday (24 April) is Stop Food Waste Day - the largest single day of action in the fight against global food waste.
Dudley Council, which recently launched its own climate action plan, wants to help people who live and work in the borough to bring down their own carbon footprint with the reduction of waste being a great place to start.
Top tips for households include the following:
1. Make a shopping list and plan meals, using foods already in the cupboards or fridge where possible.
2. Get in the habit of freezing food such as bread, vegetables, and fruit.
3. Revive vegetables by soaking them in ice water, and cooking rather than eating raw when they are past their best.
4. Serve small portions when encouraging children to try new foods, offering seconds if they want more.
5. Use or freeze brown and spotted bananas for bread, muffins or cakes.
Balvinder Heran, deputy chief executive at Dudley Council, said:
“Food waste is a global issue with a huge environmental, social and economic impact, which is why we want everyone to do all they can to reduce food waste in Dudley.
“There are lots of things people can do such as shopping smarter, freezing foods and batch cooking, and there are lots more great tips and recipes available on the Love Food Hate Waste website.
“Dudley Council collects around 10,000 tonnes of food waste every year through our black bin collections, a costly process that could be significantly reduced if residents lessened their food waste.
“Under the national 2021 Environment Act, local authorities across the country, including Dudley Council, will need to operate a mandatory, weekly food waste collection service to all households by March 2026.”
For more information on food waste including top tips on how to save food and money, people can visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com and www.stopfoodwasteday.com
People can also find out more about Dudley Council’s Climate Action plan online at www.dudley.gov.uk/climate