NOW CLOSED Share your views on food waste for CarrieMumsnet and Unilever UK and you could win £100 cash

[KatieBMumsnet]

CarrieMumsnet is talking about the issue of food waste at an event hosted by Unilever UK soon and she'd love to get your views on the topic.

Here's what Unilever UK says about food waste:
"At Unilever, thinking sustainably is at the heart of everything we do. Now we're working hard with WRAP (Waste and Resource Action Programme) and other organisations across the UK to help people to reduce the amount of food they dispose of. After all, throwing away food wastes money and it's bad for the environment too.
"According to recent research we've commissioned with the Fabian Society, the most trusted source of information about reducing food waste is our friends and family. People listed food going off too quickly, throwing away leftovers and cooking too much food in the first place as the key reasons why they waste food. We'd love to get your thoughts."

On 1st November, our Mumsnet co-founder, Carrie Longton, is going to be joining a number of influencers and experts in the world of sustainability to speak at a morning of debate and insight on the subject of food waste, hosted by Unilever UK.
Here are some questions to get you started - all views welcome:

• Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
• Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
• What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
• Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
• If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?
• How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
• Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
• Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
• Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?

Everyone who adds their comments to this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive £100 cash.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

Most of our food waste is from serving the kids more than they need on a given day and not forcing them to clean their plates. I suppose that over time, as they are given greater control over their portion size that this will decrease. We haven't any options on composting kitchen waste anyway as our garden is too small to need our own compost and we are not allowed to use the the council compost bin for any kitchen waste.

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
We throw away 1-2 small kitchen caddy liners-full per week. We put all raw fruit and veg waste on our garden compost heap, together with squeezed teabags. Vegetables that are past their best but still edible go to our two pet guineapigs. Slightly past it cooked meats go to the cat.

Does your local council offer a food waste collection service? Yes, weekly.

What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away? leftovers from the children (we do not expect them to clear their plates), meat bones, bread - we seem to throw away quite a lot of bread. Things that have gone past their use by dates - I observe those pretty strictly.

Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food? about 50/50.

If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum? - I don't think we throw away all that much food. Meal planning and frequent checking of the back of the fridge makes the most difference.

How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin? I don't throw food away if it could be eaten. I guess I could be organised and get the food processor out to make breadcrumbs more often.

Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food? If your children consistently leave a lot of food try giving them smaller portions (dh pls note re. breakfast cereal). Get into making home-made soup.

Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food? if you throw away less food you save money!

Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home? yes I did thank you (see first answer above).

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?

We try not to throw much food away (more for the expense than for recyling means it has to be said!). Any food we do throw away just goes into the main rubbish. We do have a compost bin but we have just moved into a new house and haven't quite got into the habit yet.

• Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?

I don't know.

• What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?

It's mostly if things come up during the week which means we don't stick to our meal plan, and I can't freeze it for whatever reason.

• Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?

I tend to only cook enough for whoever is eating with enough for lunches the next day so mostly uncooked.

• If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?

Meal planning mostly! And available freezer space.

• How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?

Freezing anything that can be, and cooking and freezing stuff if necessary, Makes it handy for CBA day's as well.

• Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?

Only buy what you need, meal plan as much as you can and have a bottomless pit of a partner!

• Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?

I'm starting to sound like a stuck record but I meal plan using recipes so I only buy what I need.

• Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?

I didn't know that but will bear it in mind for when I start composting properly!

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
We don't throw away a lot of food, but what we do throw away either goes into our own compost heap, or a council supplied food caddy. The food caddy is primarily used to dispose of wet cat food that the cats haven't eaten (fussy beasts)
Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
Yes, food waste is collected every week
What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
Uneaten pet food
Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
Mainly cooked, uncooke foed goes into our composter
If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?
We meal plan every week, and only purchase exactly what we need, food with shorter shelf life is only bought just before its needed. Left overs are always used for lunch or to make soup at the end of the week.
How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
We occasionally give our left over cat food to the neighbours dogs, with the owners permission, but there isn't much we could do, except find less fussy cats
Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
Stews and soups are great to use up left overs, and can themselves be frozen and stored for later use
Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
Plan your weekly shop and only purchase what you need, don't be tempted by special offers that you won't use
Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?
Yes, and they seem to keep the slugs off our veg

• Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?

Not really very much at all. Food waste goes in a kitchen caddy. No compost bin.

• Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?

Yes.

• What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?

Vegetable peelings, meat and fish bones, egg shells, occasionally the children's leftovers.

• Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?

Mainly uncooked as it is mostly fruit and veg waste.

• If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?

Don't buy more than we need. Rotate food in the fridge and cupboards so things don't go out of date or off. Use the freezer. Cook as much as is needed for one meal, unless i am planning to use the leftovers for something else, eg. roast chicken then risotto.

• How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?

I make lots of soups, and then freeze them so I can have them for lunch (I work at home), particularly if I spot veg going off. Decomposing fruit is stewed, or used in cakes or smoothies. I eat leftovers for lunch quite often too.

• Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?

Use the freezer. I buy big packs of meat, but portion it into bags and freeze it so I can then take out enought for one meal.

• Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?

Don't overbuy. Meal planning really helps with this.

• Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?

Odd question. Yes.

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?

All raw peelings etc and tea bags go on the compost heap

Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
Yes

What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
Children's leftovers and I don't plan meals and sometimes guilty of buying too much.

Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
Both

If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?

Try to feed kids leftovers to my DH as he is always starving when he walks in. Stick to a shopping list in the supermarket (am not good at this)

How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
Cook and freeze it

Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
Meal plan, get everything out the back of the fridge, buy less

Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
Stick to the shopping list, don't get sucked into offers, meal plan

Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?
Yes

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?

We don't throw much away - I have a compost heap and the council food waste bin for the offcuts of meat and bones and and the like

• Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?

Yes Monmouthshire is very good for recycling etc (mind you for the amount of c tax we pay they should be!)

• What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?

A 5 year old - I'm trying to encourage a wider range of foods - it doesn't always work.

• Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?

Mostly cooked leftovers from the plate

• If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?

Careful shopping and meal planning, using the freezer wisely.

• How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?

I re-use leftovers.

• Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?

Allow people to serve themselves from dishes in the middle of the table rather than plating up - then they have as much as they want and you can use leftovers the following day (e.g. bubble and squeak or soup) or freeze them if the portion is big enough.

• Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?

freeze even small portions - then every now and then have a freezer feast - get out lots of little bits and tuck into a strange but delicious mixture

• Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?

yes - but I'd rather they went on my compost heap.

This is also a topic of strife in our household. I HATE food waste, but my 2 teenage DS's still tend too pour themselve too much cereal and throw some away, or, my biggest bug-bear- throw away lunchbox stuff they haven't eaten. I am now much more aware of portion sizes, and cook just enough for us to eat and try not to have leftovers, occasionally I will underestimate, in which case, I am the one with th smaller dinner!.
Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
I try to waste very little, it is the DC that are the wasteful ones! Yes, we have a compost bin for veg waste, I dont put meat waste in it though.
Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
No, but, to be fair, it is one of the few waste services they dont supply.
What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
Kids leaving packed luches, then forgetting it is in the lunchbox until it has gone mankey. Also forgetting I have something at the back of the fridge, usually again the DC fault, as they will never look for an already opened pack if a new, unopened one is easier to spot!
Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
un-cooked, any left over portions of cooked food get either frozen or eaten by DH as lunch next day
If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?
The DC's do waste food, but, with me, extra food is frozen or kept for lunch the next day. If there isnt enough for a full meal, then it gets given to the dogs rather than throw it, our dogs have a very varied diet!!.
How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
Already answered that above, frozen portions and pets!
Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
I am now doing more frequent , smaller shops with specific meals in mind. Also, I moved our waste bin into the back kitchen, it is an extra few steps to go out there, and especially for the DC, the effort often proves too much, so they will either eat, give to the dogs or refridgerate their leftovers as this is the less energy wasting option for them!
Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
Do Not, under any circumstances, take teenage boys food shopping with you!
Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?
Yes, I compost them otr add them to my outside planters

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
We throw away very little. We do have a kitchen caddy but it is mainly used for teabags

Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
Yes, weekly.

What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
If something was forgotten in the back of the fridge. Happens rarely.

Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
Uncooked, all cooked leftovers a frozen or given to the dogs.

If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?
I meal plan, so only buy what I need.

How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
Once a week I make a pot of soup so that any veg that is past it's best can be used up.

Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
If you have cooked a large amount of food, serve smaller portions with the option of a second helping. I find this way there is usually enough to freeze for another meal.

Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
Meal plan, meal plan, meal plan. Plus use any odds and ends in the fridge for soup.

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin? Not much food waste - council now collects it for composting
Does your local council offer a food waste collection service? yes
What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away? veg peelings, egg shells. tea bags, uneaten food. We've got much better at not having stuff go off
Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food? uncooked
If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum? by meal planning, judging cooking amounts by the number of people eating at home that day
How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin? making more soup
Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food? only buying the exact amounts I need - if I know my meal plan for the week needs two pepper, I only now buy two pepper, even if three are cheaper, as it's likely that the third one won't be used
Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home? yes, but our council has been quite proactive with information about it's new recycling/composting service

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
I do not throw away much food at all. I pride myself on it actually, I hate waste.

Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
Not now. There was a big drive on kitchen caddies/compost bins a few years ago but I don't think anyone took it up so that stopped bothering and saved the money they were spending on trying to push it. I know that normal recycling rates are quite high though, so maybe they just stuck to concentrating on that?

What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
I will only ever throw food away if it's off. Usually dairy. However I also try to use it up before it spoils, such as if I have a tub of cream that's nearing it's end I will do a stroganoff for example.

Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
On the ocassion I throw food away it is uncooked. I always use leftovers for lunch the following day. In fact I sometimes cook extra on a night deliberately, as I prefer a proper meal for lunch than a sandwich!

If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum? I meal plan. I write my meal plan on one side of my notebook and then the ingredients I need on the other side - this means I only buy what I need for each meal and then bits for the cupboard for snack/restocking herbs etc.

How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
Cook it! If I have tomatoes that are soft and past their best I slow raost them in the oven with a drizzle of oil and some sage or basil. These are great in pasta dishes, omlettes, salads etc. I had some bacon which had got to it's sell by date without me realising so I cooked it all and put some in our tea that night and put some in an omlette the next morning for my husband's breakfast

Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
Don't buy so much! I recommend meal planning as the best way to not waste food. if you don't need it, don't buy it.

Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
[broken record emoticon] Meal plan

Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?
Yes I did. We don't have a compost bin as we don't have a garden, but I do know what can be composted.

• Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin? We try to keep the food we throw away to a minimum. Food waste goes into a bin. We live in a flat in the middle of a city, so no garden/compost heap, and no food waste collection service.
• Does your local council offer a food waste collection service? No it doesn't.
• What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away? Usually because we have forgotten about it. I rarely over-buy, and on the whole and pretty good about checking dates and either using or freezing.
• Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food? Mainly forgotten left overs at the back of the fridge.
• If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum? I try not to buy more than I need, and also try to be vaguely creative in using up what we have for evening meals. I will also freeze food, or cook and freeze.
• How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin? We tend to throw out forgotten left overs (when we are extra busy with Life), so just remembering them would be a start!
• Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food? Don't shop when you are hungry and learn how to make soup!
• Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food? Keep an open mind, buy what is on special offer and USE it!
• Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home? I would have guessed so, but we don't compost or have a local council food waste scheme.

To be honest, I don't know how people can afford to buy food and throw it away. I do it occasionally, and really HATE it. I am also not wedded to sell-by dates.

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
We have a food waste collection service through our local council.

Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
Yes

What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
Gone off/Cooked more than we need. Veggies that have been kept in their plastic containers and gone off.

Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
Uncooked

If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?
We try to do smaller shops for what we need during the week rather than a large shop.

How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
I'm not sure. Food is generally unfit for human consumption when we throw it away. Having a better understanding of use by dates and how long after that date you could safely eat the food might be useful.

Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
Only buy what you need. I weigh out foods such as pasta to avoid cooking too much.

Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
Writing a meal plan and actually sticking to it. The two do not always go hand in hand!

Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?
Yes all our teabags go either in the council food waste bin or on the compost heap.

• Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Yes we throw away too much food - mainly fruit and salad items that are no good for use but we do waste other items.

Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
yes

• Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
  Yes

• What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
  Usually food that hasn't been eaten before the sell by date. If we have meal planned and then fancy something different for dinner food is wasted. Also I sometimes buy too much.

• Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
  Uncooked plus fruit/veg

• If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?
  I do throw away too much!

• How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
  I could cook more of it and freeze it to use, or in the event of fresh items I should meal plan and stick to it.

• Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
  Throw all your leftovers into a slow cooker, add some liquid and you have a meal! I also make bubble and squeek a lot with left over veg.

• Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
  Buy in bulk, cook batches of meals and freeze then there is no waste.

• Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?
  No I didnt. Thank you for letting me know.

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
We do throw some stuff away, we have a caddy in the kitchen. We do have a compost bin.

Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
Yes they do, I compost most of the vegetable offcuts and teabags. In the council bin I put the cooked food and raw meat offcuts and other bits and bobs that I don't want in the compost bin.

What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
It's a mix of offcuts, vegetable peelings, rotten fruit/veg and the odd meal leftovers that are from re-heated leftovers. We don't throw that much away to be fair as we are quite sensitive about food waste.

Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
mainly uncooked with the odd bit of cooked food.

If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?
I don't tend to throw much food away. I shop twice a week and make sure we don't over purchase, unless it's something I can quickly prepare into a meal and freeze [awaiting the reduced pumpkins, for pumpkin soup]. I mark and label things before freezing to make sure I use it within time. I hate to see food waste.

How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
I think I'm quite efficient and don't waste much. The little that we throw away really isn't fit for use.

Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food? Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
Planning and preparation. I sound like my gran :) I meal plan, buy accordingly and freeze extra portions.

Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?
Yes and I do. DH drinks lots of tea and he makes plenty of offerings to the compost heap. He also brings them home from work, sometimes we have to put them in the council bin, as there are way too many for the compost bin to cope with [hwink].

I know my mother fills her bin every week, she always puts things she bought that were on offer and were never eaten. She has a chest freezer that could be put to good use, except it's full of her other bargains, like turkey mince [she didn't like it] but she has 4 more packs that I know will never get used. It wastes money not only has she bought an item she's not likely to use, but also the electricity costs of freezing it. I think that's why I am more aware of food waste.

ROund here the council have jsut started a new composting drive - we have a kitchen bin, and an outside bin - both for kitchen waste. They suggest scraping plates, veg peeelings, teabags, bones and meat etc. I use it just for ends-of-loaves (when I have just tooo many breadcrumbs in the freezer) and bits of meat and stuff that I cant put in my garden compost bin. Only problem seems to be that the outside bin is vulnerable to foxes and rats, (being only plastic) and some people have been put off by the swarms of flies.

I don;t throw away much; i make soup, and keep an eye on what needs using-up in the fridge.

• Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
  I do throw a bit away, but not much. Certainly less than friends and family. WE have a kitchen caddy, which is emptied into our 'green bin' (also contains garden waste), and collected weekly. No smell, even in summer. I pay to have the big bin cleaned every fortnight, but hose it out the other week over the height of summer.

• What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
  Bad planning , really! Buying too much food, or the 'wrong' food (not what we fancy, or that takes too long to cook), or forgetting that we have plans, changing plans when we have already bought in food.

• Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
  Uncooked. Things like 1/3 bag of kale, that kind of thing.

• If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?
  I batch cook, and freeze meals/servings. Plus I take best before/use by as the loosest of advice!

• Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food? Ignore best before/sell by dates and use common sense.

• Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home? Yup.

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go?
If we didn't have a toddler, I feel we would waste very little. Mostly vegetable peels and egg shells go in the bin.
Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
We did in London as the council collected kitchen waste, but here in Brum they do not.
Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
No, Birmingham does not offer this service at present.
What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
If my husband is not around, food that toddler doesn't finish that I cannot have (food allergies) then it goes in the bin.
Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
Cooked
If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?
I buy accordingly and eat things with short shelf life quickly.
How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
Composting would work, but we are in a rented place.
Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
I make and freeze soups if we can't eat the food quickly enough.
Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
Know how to store fruits and veg to get the longest life from them! Lots of info online on this subject.
Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?
Yes.

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?

We actually throw very little away at all- I include food waste recycling. Any food that we throw away go into our kitchen caddy, which I will discuss further down.

Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?

Yes, it has for about 2 years now (E Devon). Apparently our waste food goes to a digester to be turned into power.

What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
The only stuff we throw away (as in put in the council food waste caddy) usually is meat bones. These will usually already have been boiled to make stock by the time they go in the food waste caddy. Sometimes we put peelings etc in the food waste collection in the winter when the composter and wormeries are not working as fast as in summer.

Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?

It is typically only twice cooked bones or peelings that even the animals won't eat!

If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?

We eat most of our leftovers. We are actually very good at reprocessing leftover into palatable meals that bear very little evidence of being leftovers (although the children usually spot the ingredients!)

Most fruit and vegetable waste- peelings etc go into our home composting system.

We feed the potato peelings (cooked) to the hens. Any mouldy bread also goes to the hens, along with things like rice or pasta etc that is past its best.

We feed most meat and fish scraps to the dogs and cat. Most vegetable peelings go to the guinea pig or dogs (one of our dogs loves carrot peel, and cabbage stalks and outer leaves. Strange animal)

Very little of our food ends up in the council caddy and none in the main bin.

How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?

Not wanting to sound big-headed but I think we already maximise our food usage as it is. Can't imagine getting creative with what is left over in our house if it's not even fit for the pets...

Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?

Be creative with leftovers! Adapt your menu to accommodate what you have in your fridge. Many things can be used in novel ways and incorporated invisibly into things your children will eat

Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?

If you eat as much of the food you buy as possible, you will inevitably save money vs throwing it away!

Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?

Yes and yes.

Sorry to sound glib. I'm a country girl and we get used to making do and mending and recycling.

Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?

We throw away very little food.
Any food waste goes into the composter in the garden - we have a large tumbler composter, 5 darleks and 3 pallet-built composters
We have a kitchen caddy that is emptied daily

Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
Yes, collected weekly

What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
Poor planning meaning food is unusable

Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
Uncooked

If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?
Meal plan so if I buy it I intend to use it

How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
Very rarely happens, I could batch cook and freeze if there was stuff about to go off

Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
Mean plan before you shop, or as you are shopping

Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?
Yes, although the bag bits take ages to compost down

• Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin? --Very little waste, what there is goes in caddy then compost
• Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?--no
• What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away? --forgotten leftovers at back of fridge, school lunchbox waste eg. sandwich crusts
• Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food? --both
• If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum? --I make lots of things like curries & pasta sauces that incorporate veg which needs using. We're veggie. Leftover portions of cooked food are frozen for me to take to work for lunch
• How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?-- more time to keep an eye on the fridge! But waste is minimal
• Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?--don't worry about sell by dates, buy dried stuff & cans in bulk but fresh veg a few times a week
• Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food? --approved food website
• Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home? -- yes.

* Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?
No I try to use what we have and think we are reasonably good at limiting food waster - apart from the kids leftovers. I have a kitchen caddy but don't currently use it as our food waste is limited

* Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?
Yes - a weekly service

* What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?
Kids leftovers and items past their BB dates

* Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?
Mostly cooked

* If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?
Try not to get sucked in by BOGOF offers and if I do I make sure I freeze any that won't be used straight away

* How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?
As it's mainly kids leftovers which are difficult to predict I don't think we could reduce it

* Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?
Use the freezer and items straight from the freezer

* Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?
Again make best use of the freezer and bulk cook and freeze

* Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?
Yes

I end up eating most of our "waste" food. Since having children I seem to have morphed into a home disposal unit. We do have a food waste bin from Camden Council for anything which is too "off" for me to eat but they never empty it so it's a waste of space. If my children refuse (without good reason) to eat something they've asked me to buy then I refuse to buy it again (unless it's something I like eating) which helps avoid waste. If I ever end up with more food than we need or than we can store safely, I give it away because I hate waste.

• Do you throw away much food at home? Where does the food waste go? Do you have a kitchen caddy and compost bin?

We don't throw away much at all - if I have cooked too much, or the dcs are refusing to eat my culinary creation, I find that the dogs are very willing recipients, which still saves me money on dog food as they then eat less of that!

• Does your local council offer a food waste collection service?

No

• What are the main reasons or circumstances that you throw food away?

We don't really, unless some salad has gone unnoticed at the bottom of the fridge and has turned into green sludge - this would normally go on the garden though unless it was the middle of the winter!

• Of food you throw away, is it mainly cooked or uncooked food?

Mostly uncooked - the dogs will eat anything cooked (and uncooked for that matter!)

• If you don't throw away much food, how do you manage to keep waste to a minimum?

A meal planner is a must - and stick to it! We do a monthly shop online for store cupboard basics, then a small weekly shop at a farm shop / butchers / occasionally at the supermarket for the fresh bits we need - I do measure to make sure that I get the right quantities.

Also - feed the dogs leftovers - my vet always says how healthy my dogs are, and they are not overweight as I substitute their food, not give in addition to!

• How do you or how do you think you could make the most of the food that would otherwise be put in the bin?

Use on garden, give to dogs, freeze before it gets to the stage of going off, meal plan and only buy what is needed.

• Have you got any great ideas for wasting less food?

I think meal planning is key! Also, if I bake a cake for home consumption, I freeze it in slices, so I only take out what I need - and it defrosts quicker too!

• Have you got any top money-saving tips that also help you to throw away less food?

Use the freezer and meal plan!

• Did you know that tea bags can be put into your local council food waste collection (if you have one) or composted at home?

Yes - I use these on the garden.