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Original poster

Anyone throwing out a lot of fruit/veg?

87 replies

Boujibroke · 03/10/2023 16:05

I used to shop at Tesco. Switched to Aldi as we were fed up of food not lasting and needing binned. Just the same problem with Aldi

Anyone else noticed this?

Not sure what to do about it really. Annoyed at the waste (although my compost heap is well fed) and pissed off at the waste of money.

OP posts:
Devilsmommy · 03/10/2023 17:04

@plumtreebroke see I already wrap my cucumber in a food bag but it still goes mushy fast🤢

minipie · 03/10/2023 17:04

Most fresh things are going off faster recently, fruit, veg and even milk. We used to be able to drink the milk well past its due date, now it often goes off before the date.

Original poster
Boujibroke · 03/10/2023 17:08

@minipie we have also noticed milk isn't lasting as long.

@plumtreebroke once its cut we don't wrap it back up. I could try cutting it into chunks and storing it in a container.

OP posts:

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VanCleefArpels · 03/10/2023 17:11

Can’t believe people are having issues with carrots and onions?! The key is only buying what you need (so meal planning / batch cooking) or knowing how to store/ freeze things. If things are “on the turn” eg Bananas getting too ripe for your liking, make some banana bread or freeze for smoothies. Make soup out of pretty much anything in the veg drawer. No need to waste anything

Butterkist8 · 03/10/2023 17:19

Bought our favourite loaf yesterday. Opened it this morning to make toast and saw that the best before date was today.
It'll be fine for a couple of days, I know, but so much fresh food that we buy now does seem to have very short dates on them.

Caspianberg · 03/10/2023 17:28

@Butterkist8 - isn’t that normal though? I mean we buy bread from bakery with no date on it. I would only expect it to be fresh fresh for 1-2 days max. Then we toast. If I make my own bread products at home like hot cross buns or something I would expect them to start needed toasting after 2 days.

Were we live most people go and buy fresh rolls every morning for breakfast, they wouldn’t even think of buying them the day before ( we do, but we are ‘foreign’ so British habit of convenience)

Butterkist8 · 03/10/2023 17:34

No. I expect a loaf of bread that I bought at lunchtime to not have a best before date of about 18 hours before I eat it.
Even to the odd loaf that I make at home , with no preservatives, lasts longer than 18 hours.

Skyellaskerry · 03/10/2023 17:42

I hate the no best before dates it’s just to make the supermarkets look like they are improving their environmental performance whilst passing the waste on. I’ve decided to complain, yes, it will be a hassle, but perhaps if done sufficiently they may reconsider

PickAChew · 03/10/2023 17:45

VanCleefArpels · 03/10/2023 17:11

Can’t believe people are having issues with carrots and onions?! The key is only buying what you need (so meal planning / batch cooking) or knowing how to store/ freeze things. If things are “on the turn” eg Bananas getting too ripe for your liking, make some banana bread or freeze for smoothies. Make soup out of pretty much anything in the veg drawer. No need to waste anything

Not exactly practical advice for someone working full time or otherwise really busy.

I've found that markses veg lasts longer than most but I'm still struggling to make carrots last the week without turning into liquid, randomly and I've just about given up on bagged salad.

chillipod · 03/10/2023 17:47

We find Aldi really bad for fruit and veg going off quickly. Weirdly also found our local Lidl seems to have dates of only a couple of days after purchase on their milk!

Original poster
Boujibroke · 03/10/2023 17:48

Exactly @Skyellaskerry surely the food waste from residential properties will increase as supermarkets food waste decrease.

Dh is thinking maybe we should go back to Tesco delivery and get two a week. Rather than the one big shop. Not sure what to do to be honest 😕

OP posts:
GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 03/10/2023 17:50

I take everything right out of the sweaty-making wrapping asap. Also keep an old folded tea towel on the bottom of the veg drawer, to absorb any damp. Obv. change it regularly. Very rarely need to bin anything.

RedToothBrush · 03/10/2023 17:52

What's the country of origin?

It might tell you something.

Original poster
Boujibroke · 03/10/2023 17:55

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER definitely going to try the removing it from the shop wrappers/containers. See if it helps.

@chillipod that's terrible about the milk.

@VanCleefArpels in an ideal world this would be fab. Unfortunately I am too busy to audit my fridge daily. To be honest I shouldn't have to. My weekly shop should last. Not go all mushy and mouldy.

OP posts:
Original poster
Boujibroke · 03/10/2023 17:57

@RedToothBrush what you mean?

Think Tesco and Aldi are a mix of UK and other countries around the world.

OP posts:
paradoxicalfrog · 03/10/2023 18:04

Shop exclusively at Tesco (weekly C&C).

Tomatoes often don't keep as long as they used to. Bagged leaves like baby spinach are often very wet and spoil rapidly. Celery sticks are often past their best when collected and look slightly yellow and floppy. Oranges are often dry inside now or don't keep for more than a few days.

AutumnAuntie · 03/10/2023 18:05

I blend anything that looks like it’s on the turn and make a smoothie.

itsmyp4rty · 03/10/2023 18:10

Waitrose had 'seasonal apples' out last time we went, DH picked them up assuming they would be British - nope they were from New Zealand! WHy would you label apples from NZ as seasonal? It's so misleading. The supermarkets completely take the piss. I also hate not having dates on the fruit and veg.

I wouldn't wash raspberries after buying them. Unless you got them completely dry afterwards (which is going to be difficult unless it's very warm as they will have water inside) they will go mouldy very quickly. Do pick out any on the turn but I wouldn't wash them until you're going to eat them. Also take them out the fridge a good while before you're going to eat them as they'll have more flavour then,

1990s · 03/10/2023 18:15

Don’t wash things until you use them, thru will go mouldy!

Zipps · 03/10/2023 18:19

I blanch if necessary and freeze what I can veg wise and portion them up for the freezer.

I slice lemons up then freeze them which double as an ice cube for drinks.
I take out berries of the freezer the night before to add to yoghurt and muesli for breakfast and for muffins etc.
Grow our own salad leaves.

HayleyBean · 03/10/2023 18:23

I just chop everything and freeze it if any veg is looking a bit peaky. Especially mushrooms and peppers

Skyellaskerry · 03/10/2023 18:26

Does anyone know how to tell the date codes they now use at Asda please?

I think the main point overall is that fruit and veg don’t last as long as they used to, and funnily enough it coincides with the labelling change.

megletthesecond · 03/10/2023 18:29

No. But I don't buy aldi or lidl after endless problems.
I freeze chopped onion, peppers, kale, mushrooms, raspberries etc.
It's only really fresh salad ingredients I have to make sure I eat in time.

Skyellaskerry · 03/10/2023 18:33

@megletthesecond I know but the thing is for me that if I wanted frozen raspberries I’d buy them frozen (waayy cheaper!) likewise frozen vegetables, but if I pay more for fresh, I expect it to last a reasonable length of time.

PinkRoses1245 · 03/10/2023 18:33

Very rarely, regardless of the supermarket. We buy the amount we know will get eaten, and I will happily cook veg that is a bit off, it is fine if cooked. Open any packaging and don’t wash until you need it . And make sure your fridge is cold enough