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Original poster

Aren't we a wasteful lot!!!

36 replies

stoppinattwo · 16/03/2007 08:25

{http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6456987.stm\here}

I am quite surprised. Not just from the wastefulness but the cost of the shopping that could be saved. I really bet the savings would mount up over the year.

This year I have started online shopping, I plan all the meals we have and only buy what i think we need, because im in the house when i order, i can run and check what we have if im not sure, also I dont buy unnecessary items because the kids are nagging the legs off me . There are always online discount offers too which i use. I save on average £30 per week now on my original shopping bill which over the year is £1560.00. Enough for our family holiday

OP posts:
Original poster
stoppinattwo · 16/03/2007 08:26

opps crap link sorry

here

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Original poster
stoppinattwo · 16/03/2007 10:18

Well, are we wasteful or what???

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OrmIrian · 16/03/2007 12:37

Apparently! I'm a bit shocked by that. Veg waste goes in the compost bin, meat waste goes in the cat . So there isn't that much left.

I thought that food waste was recyled in many areas now. Supposed to be round here -when they finally get round to it - sterilised and added to compost.

southeastastra · 16/03/2007 12:41

i always manage to throw away alot of food. it goes off quickly

expatinscotland · 16/03/2007 12:42

I would love to compost, but like 80% of the population in our city, we live in a flat on the second floor. No outdoor garden space.

We're on the wait list for an allotment at the park closest to us, but it's a lllooonnnggg wait list.

We don't meal plan, but we do eat plenty of leftovers.

RubberDuck · 16/03/2007 13:32

Had a look into compost bins but I'm not a gardener and our garden is just lawn and patio - not a huge call for compost.

We do have a waste disposal unit though which gets rid of a fair amount of food waste without it going to landfill. I also menu plan and don't throw out huge quantities of food, imo.

yomellamoHelly · 16/03/2007 13:59

Hardly throw any food out nowadays, but then we've made a concious effort not to waste it. Our garden, like evry othre in this area, is tiny so no real call for a lot of compost there either, though do set a bin's worth aside each year to spread. Wish the council would recyle it.

paulaplumpbottom · 16/03/2007 14:24

I try to cook dinners so there will be a bit left over to make kunch with the next day. If you plan for leftovers then you wont be tempted to throw out food.

paulaplumpbottom · 16/03/2007 14:25

I also have a shelf in my fridge for things that are about to go out of date that way I know to use those things up first.

AngharadGoldenhand · 16/03/2007 14:26

stoppinattwo - do you still have to pay delivery charges for your online shopping?

OrmIrian · 16/03/2007 14:38

I do my food shopping online and don't pay as I order over £70 and have it delivered midweek. Probably wouldn't do it if it cost me.

ska · 16/03/2007 14:46

you could check the debt free 2007 thred (I don't know how to add a link to a thread, sorry) which has some great ideas about food savings among other things.
i was shocked by the story but know that in my full time working days we probably were just as bad

Original poster
stoppinattwo · 16/03/2007 14:49

There are delivery charges..........but if your really careful and got to www.hotukdeals.co.uk (i think) you can usully get a £5 dicount on shopping orders over £50 (which i would think is most peoples shopping bill at least)- otherwise delivery is about £5-6...which if you take into account petrol, time, stress of shopping with kids and all the blardy useless nik naks you usually get conned into buying, could be worth it

Got to that site and have a look, there are tonnes of other discounts too.

Also online shopping stores your previous orders so if your like me and buy similar things each week your shopping only takes 5 minutes .more time for mnetting

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Original poster
stoppinattwo · 16/03/2007 14:50

OrmIrian the discount will also apply to your shopping order too, its not just for delivery, so if you delivery is free you could infact be getting a dicount off you shopping........even better!!!

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LittleSarah · 16/03/2007 14:52

We are wasteful.

I have started shopping online (no car, no good supermarkets nearby etc) but I still throw away more than I'd like.

I just wish there was more loose produce. I am only buying for me and dd and often have to buy more than I need because it is the only size I can find. Very frustrating.

AngharadGoldenhand · 17/03/2007 11:49

Thanks, stoppinattwo.

Pixel · 17/03/2007 17:03

I don't think I waste much food really. The main culprit is salad stuff as it goes off so quickly but I've found it's worth buying those 'living lettuces' to avoid that problem. In the summer I grow my own anyway.

Very little goes into landfill because I've got a compost bin on my allotment and I shove it all in there.

Any left over meat worth saving goes in dh's sandwiches, into the freezer for adding to future casseroles etc or into the cat!

Plus, I don't always take sell-by dates as the gospel truth. For example you can tell if eggs have gone off by seeing if they float in water.

Miaou · 17/03/2007 17:21

The article picked up on a couple of points that tie in with my thinking . Firstly that so much stuff in supermarkets is pre-packed in large bags - eg apples, carrots etc - so very difficult for a single person to buy appropriate amounts of food. Plus BOGOFs on items with short dates encourages us to get more than we need or could sensibly use. Secondly, use of leftovers - as the article says, we are not as a nation good at using up leftovers I don't think.

Add to that the huge variety and relative cheapness of food, which we tend to overbuy, and the fact that "fresh" food is often stored for months before being sold just before it goes off (did anyone see the report the other day about 8 month old kiwi fruits and potatoes?), and it's no wonder we are throwing so much out. I know people need to take personal responsibility, but the supermarkets have a lot to answer for as well.

paulaplumpbottom · 17/03/2007 22:12

Especially if the food is imported, sometimes you get things months after they are picked.

moondog · 17/03/2007 22:14

God,I've never thrown out food in me life.
Too gredy obviously.

Greensleeves · 17/03/2007 22:21

I walk a fine line between being horrifed by waste and not being psychologically able to force the chldren to eat anything they don't want to eat (due to 'orrible force-fed childhood, violins, etc)

So I have a rabbit who can take care of most things (dung recycled to allotment) and a dh who has pretty much no limitations when it comes to consuming left-overs

OrmIrian · 19/03/2007 10:00

Greensleeves - "dh who has pretty much no limitations when it comes to consuming left-overs ". I have one of those too. Useful aren't they?

expatinscotland · 19/03/2007 10:03

What's with people who won't eat leftovers?

A lot of stuff tastes better on the second or third day.

paulaplumpbottom · 19/03/2007 10:32

I think so to. If I make a stew I make loads I think it gets better the longer it sits.

OrmIrian · 19/03/2007 11:56

Soup is what leftovers were made for. I made a lamb and veg broth thing with some lentils yesterday from the remains of Sunday lunch. A habit I picked up from my mum.