May 20, 2025 • 12 mins
Every bite counts and so does every story. Tune in to our eye-opening podcast that dives into the world of food waste reduction, where Hazel shares practical tips on how to reduce food waste, save money, and protect the planet. Join the fight to reduce food waste today. #FoodWasteReduction #Sustainability #EcoFriendly #SaveThePlanet🎙️
Listen the following episodes for more on food waste reduction:
https://challengetochangepodcast.podbean.com/e/let-s-reduce-our-xmas-food-waste/
https://challengetochangepodcast.podbean.com/e/composting-with-master-composter-patti-pinto/
https://challengetochangepodcast.podbean.com/e/compost-week-2023/
Watch the composting and wormeries playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNPuhj6ovZPl68VLqO-Zg6RbSLfBJzqmd
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:15):
Welcome to this episode of TheChallenge to Change podcast.
Now some of us findplanning super easy to do.
It's almost as though somepeople have the ability to plan
actually built into their DNA.
Other people like me, for example,struggle somewhat to plan.
(00:38):
I need apps, reminders and listsin order to plan effectively.
Perhaps you're like me.
Food waste reduction also needs a littlebit of planning in order to be successful.
And as you might have guessed,this podcast episode aims to
help us focus on food waste byutilising a little bit of planning.
(01:05):
But before we dive into foodwaste reduction planning, here's
an interesting fact for you.
Did you know that it's now a legalrequirement for workplaces in
England to separate dry recyclables,food waste, and general waste?
If you work for a microfirm,they do have a little bit
(01:28):
longer to implement the changes.
So if you live here in England, do lookout for those bins in your workplace.
So it enables employees of the workplaceto put their recyclable items, their
food waste, and their general wasteinto bins designated for that purpose.
(01:52):
So make sure that you knowwhich items belong in which bin.
Using those bins correctly really doesmake a difference to our wonderful planet.
Now, food waste, of course, is not fun,nor is it the most fascinating subject
on the planet, but it does matter.
(02:13):
It matters how we store our food.
It matters how we choose to buyour food, and it matters how
we deal with any leftover food.
The food waste we create at homeand in the workplace doesn't simply
disappear when we drop it into the bin.
If we want our food waste to disappearor perhaps more realistically
(02:37):
reduce, there is action that weneed to take to achieve this.
So what does that action look like?
Well, the first point to noteis, to shop or not to shop.
That is the question.
To borrow a phrase there from Shakespeare.
(02:58):
We have to work with what we alreadyhave in before deciding what to buy.
Now, that might sound pretty obvious, butI do know that in our household sometimes
that isn't something that happens.
We may find ourselves in a shop and thendecide what to buy whilst we're in there.
And then when we come home we realise thatwe didn't need the things that we bought.
(03:22):
So it is really helpful whenwe're thinking about food waste
to do it the other way around.
Work from what you have in beforemaking a decision about what to buy.
It's so easy, isn't it, to bedrawn in by deals and offers that
we find in shops and supermarkets,and they can be really useful.
(03:45):
But if you get drawn in by a deal forsomething that you already have in,
then there's a really good chance thatsome food is going to go to waste.
So try and use what you havefirst before buying more.
Now if you are really organised,you may decide to plan your meals
for the week and only buy the itemsthat you need to create those meals.
(04:12):
But if like me, you arenot that much of a planner.
It's always helpful to try andbuy lots of store cupboard items.
So these are the sorts of thingsthat don't go off too quickly.
Alongside those store cupboard items,it's useful to get things that will work
in lots of different types of meals.
(04:34):
So you've got that flexibilitythroughout the week.
Another useful tip is to make up ameal from an array of perhaps unusual
ingredients, or at least that'ssomething that works in our household.
No, that doesn't mean making achocolate and egg sandwich unless that's
(04:54):
something that's appealing to you, butit does mean using up what you have.
We also have to be storage savvy,and this is particularly important.
Sometimes food does get lostat the back of the fridge, and
this can happen quite a lot.
I think perhaps maybe because people havea tendency to put the new food at the
(05:17):
front perhaps 'cause it's easier to do so.
So instead of doing that, make surethat the food that needs using first
is at the front of the fridge, andthis will help us reduce food waste.
You can also try labeling thingsin the fridge so that it's
clear what those items are.
(05:38):
If you have some salad that youpurchase with the best of intentions.
But then when it comes to eat it, itdoesn't really seem that appealing.
They may try having it withsomething that does seem appealing.
Also, if your salad leaves arelooking a little bit floppy.
Then you can reinvigorate them by simplygiving them a rinse under a cold tap.
(06:03):
There are also some other ideas toreinvigorate salad leaves on the BBC
food website, so do check that out.
If you have some tomatoes that areover ripe to enjoy in a salad or
a sandwich, why not transform theminto relish or tomato chili jam.
Just look online for some recipe ideas.
(06:23):
That's just a few optionsthere to inspire you.
But you can find lots more greatideas on the Love Food Hate Waste
website and on the BBC food websitethat I've already mentioned.
Or you could be really old school andconsult an actual physical cookbook.
(06:46):
Don't forget, alongside storing yourfood in a logical way inside your fridge,
it really does matter that you keepyour fridge at the right temperature.
The Food Standards Agencysays that your fridge should
be no more than five degrees.
The rules of the fridge also apply tothe freezer and the store cupboard.
(07:09):
So think about what you have andmake sure that the stuff that
needs using first is to towardsthe front and easily accessible.
Well, let's stick with freezerstorage for a little while.
Always try to freeze whatyou know you won't use.
If you purchase too muchcheese, why not freeze some?
(07:31):
Most hard cheese can be frozen.
Visit the Love Food Hate Wastewebsite for more information on this.
In actual fact, many itemscan be frozen, even eggs.
So look online for the bestmethod for freezing eggs.
Another important factor to note is thatthings don't last forever in your freezer.
(07:54):
Granted, they do tend tolast for quite a long time.
The storage time varies dependingon what you are freezing.
If you buy something that is alreadyfrozen from a manufacturer, they
will give you that informationof when it needs to be used by.
But if you freeze something thatwasn't already frozen, check how long
(08:14):
you can keep it in the freezer for.
It is also really useful, as with thefridge, to label up the things that
you have in the freezer and perhapsinclude that important use by date.
Now, it stands to reason that the freezerlikes to be much cooler than the fridge.
(08:36):
Again, according to the FoodStandards Agency freezers should
be minus 18 degrees or colder.
So that's something to keep in mind.
So here's a few more storagetips to try and avoid food waste.
Most fruits last for longer in the fridge.
(08:57):
Bananas, however, don'tdo so well in the fridge.
They will start to go brownif you pop them in there.
This doesn't necessarily meanthat you can't eat them, but if
you don't enjoy bananas that aregoing brown, it's probably best
not to store them in the fridge.
Bananas will also ripen other fruit, andin fact, apples also ripen other fruit.
(09:21):
So to try and avoid thathappening, keep bananas and indeed
apples away from other fruit.
And as already hinted, apples willlast for much longer in the fridge.
In fact, it increases the time thatyou can keep them for exponentially.
Whole pineapples though shouldnot be stored in the fridge.
(09:42):
But once the flesh has been peeled andchopped, it's absolutely fine to pop it
in the fridge in an airtight container.
Moving away from fruit and back to eggs.
It's super important to keepeggs at a constant temperature.
If you can do that outside of thefridge, that's absolutely fine, but
it's probably easiest to do thatinside the fridge because if eggs
(10:07):
continually change temperature,then they will go off much quicker.
So before we move into the final sectionof this podcast episode, there are
some podcasts that have been recordedpreviously that also talk about food
waste, and I will pop a link to thosein the description to this podcast.
(10:28):
But I'm just gonna share withyou those episode numbers now.
So episode 80, episode 51, episode23, and episode 22, all talk about
food waste in different ways.
Now you can find all ofthose episodes on Podbean.
You can find them on Spotify.
(10:49):
You can get to them on Amazon Music.
For episode 80, you can also find it onYouTube and actually watch that episode.
So finally then, as we've talked aboutbefore on the Challenge to Change
podcast, why not consider home composting?
(11:11):
There are lots of really great educationalmaterials about composting online, and
in fact, why not head to YouTube andsearch Cheshire East Recycling Service
for some videos from our wonderfulCheshire East Waste Reduction Volunteers.
We have some on composting, some onwormeries . They're a really useful
(11:32):
resource to help you get started withcomposting, or if you are already a
home composter, it has some really greattips to improve your composting process.
There's even a composting playlist.
So I will pop a link to that in thedescription of this podcast episode.
So finally, to recap, if you livehere in England, do look out for those
(11:56):
food waste and recycling bins in yourworkplace, and don't forget to use them
because it really does make a difference.
Consider planning your meals and alwayswork from what you have before thinking
about what you are going to buy.
Remember to use up your leftovers,and if you can't use them,
(12:18):
consider home composting them.
Think about your fridge, your freezer,and your store cupboards, and make sure
that those things that need using up firstare easily accessible and identifiable.
Don't be tempted to buy cheap dealsunless you are absolutely sure you're
going to use up what is on offer.
(12:39):
Otherwise, it's not really thatcost effective in the long run.
I really hope you've enjoyedthis podcast episode.
Thank you for listening. Bye for now.
Welcome to this episode of TheChallenge to Change podcast.
Now some of us findplanning super easy to do.
It's almost as though somepeople have the ability to plan
actually built into their DNA.
Other people like me, for example,struggle somewhat to plan.
(00:38):
I need apps, reminders and listsin order to plan effectively.
Perhaps you're like me.
Food waste reduction also needs a littlebit of planning in order to be successful.
And as you might have guessed,this podcast episode aims to
help us focus on food waste byutilising a little bit of planning.
(01:05):
But before we dive into foodwaste reduction planning, here's
an interesting fact for you.
Did you know that it's now a legalrequirement for workplaces in
England to separate dry recyclables,food waste, and general waste?
If you work for a microfirm,they do have a little bit
(01:28):
longer to implement the changes.
So if you live here in England, do lookout for those bins in your workplace.
So it enables employees of the workplaceto put their recyclable items, their
food waste, and their general wasteinto bins designated for that purpose.
(01:52):
So make sure that you knowwhich items belong in which bin.
Using those bins correctly really doesmake a difference to our wonderful planet.
Now, food waste, of course, is not fun,nor is it the most fascinating subject
on the planet, but it does matter.
(02:13):
It matters how we store our food.
It matters how we choose to buyour food, and it matters how
we deal with any leftover food.
The food waste we create at homeand in the workplace doesn't simply
disappear when we drop it into the bin.
If we want our food waste to disappearor perhaps more realistically
(02:37):
reduce, there is action that weneed to take to achieve this.
So what does that action look like?
Well, the first point to noteis, to shop or not to shop.
That is the question.
To borrow a phrase there from Shakespeare.
(02:58):
We have to work with what we alreadyhave in before deciding what to buy.
Now, that might sound pretty obvious, butI do know that in our household sometimes
that isn't something that happens.
We may find ourselves in a shop and thendecide what to buy whilst we're in there.
And then when we come home we realise thatwe didn't need the things that we bought.
(03:22):
So it is really helpful whenwe're thinking about food waste
to do it the other way around.
Work from what you have in beforemaking a decision about what to buy.
It's so easy, isn't it, to bedrawn in by deals and offers that
we find in shops and supermarkets,and they can be really useful.
(03:45):
But if you get drawn in by a deal forsomething that you already have in,
then there's a really good chance thatsome food is going to go to waste.
So try and use what you havefirst before buying more.
Now if you are really organised,you may decide to plan your meals
for the week and only buy the itemsthat you need to create those meals.
(04:12):
But if like me, you arenot that much of a planner.
It's always helpful to try andbuy lots of store cupboard items.
So these are the sorts of thingsthat don't go off too quickly.
Alongside those store cupboard items,it's useful to get things that will work
in lots of different types of meals.
(04:34):
So you've got that flexibilitythroughout the week.
Another useful tip is to make up ameal from an array of perhaps unusual
ingredients, or at least that'ssomething that works in our household.
No, that doesn't mean making achocolate and egg sandwich unless that's
(04:54):
something that's appealing to you, butit does mean using up what you have.
We also have to be storage savvy,and this is particularly important.
Sometimes food does get lostat the back of the fridge, and
this can happen quite a lot.
I think perhaps maybe because people havea tendency to put the new food at the
(05:17):
front perhaps 'cause it's easier to do so.
So instead of doing that, make surethat the food that needs using first
is at the front of the fridge, andthis will help us reduce food waste.
You can also try labeling thingsin the fridge so that it's
clear what those items are.
(05:38):
If you have some salad that youpurchase with the best of intentions.
But then when it comes to eat it, itdoesn't really seem that appealing.
They may try having it withsomething that does seem appealing.
Also, if your salad leaves arelooking a little bit floppy.
Then you can reinvigorate them by simplygiving them a rinse under a cold tap.
(06:03):
There are also some other ideas toreinvigorate salad leaves on the BBC
food website, so do check that out.
If you have some tomatoes that areover ripe to enjoy in a salad or
a sandwich, why not transform theminto relish or tomato chili jam.
Just look online for some recipe ideas.
(06:23):
That's just a few optionsthere to inspire you.
But you can find lots more greatideas on the Love Food Hate Waste
website and on the BBC food websitethat I've already mentioned.
Or you could be really old school andconsult an actual physical cookbook.
(06:46):
Don't forget, alongside storing yourfood in a logical way inside your fridge,
it really does matter that you keepyour fridge at the right temperature.
The Food Standards Agencysays that your fridge should
be no more than five degrees.
The rules of the fridge also apply tothe freezer and the store cupboard.
(07:09):
So think about what you have andmake sure that the stuff that
needs using first is to towardsthe front and easily accessible.
Well, let's stick with freezerstorage for a little while.
Always try to freeze whatyou know you won't use.
If you purchase too muchcheese, why not freeze some?
(07:31):
Most hard cheese can be frozen.
Visit the Love Food Hate Wastewebsite for more information on this.
In actual fact, many itemscan be frozen, even eggs.
So look online for the bestmethod for freezing eggs.
Another important factor to note is thatthings don't last forever in your freezer.
(07:54):
Granted, they do tend tolast for quite a long time.
The storage time varies dependingon what you are freezing.
If you buy something that is alreadyfrozen from a manufacturer, they
will give you that informationof when it needs to be used by.
But if you freeze something thatwasn't already frozen, check how long
(08:14):
you can keep it in the freezer for.
It is also really useful, as with thefridge, to label up the things that
you have in the freezer and perhapsinclude that important use by date.
Now, it stands to reason that the freezerlikes to be much cooler than the fridge.
(08:36):
Again, according to the FoodStandards Agency freezers should
be minus 18 degrees or colder.
So that's something to keep in mind.
So here's a few more storagetips to try and avoid food waste.
Most fruits last for longer in the fridge.
(08:57):
Bananas, however, don'tdo so well in the fridge.
They will start to go brownif you pop them in there.
This doesn't necessarily meanthat you can't eat them, but if
you don't enjoy bananas that aregoing brown, it's probably best
not to store them in the fridge.
Bananas will also ripen other fruit, andin fact, apples also ripen other fruit.
(09:21):
So to try and avoid thathappening, keep bananas and indeed
apples away from other fruit.
And as already hinted, apples willlast for much longer in the fridge.
In fact, it increases the time thatyou can keep them for exponentially.
Whole pineapples though shouldnot be stored in the fridge.
(09:42):
But once the flesh has been peeled andchopped, it's absolutely fine to pop it
in the fridge in an airtight container.
Moving away from fruit and back to eggs.
It's super important to keepeggs at a constant temperature.
If you can do that outside of thefridge, that's absolutely fine, but
it's probably easiest to do thatinside the fridge because if eggs
(10:07):
continually change temperature,then they will go off much quicker.
So before we move into the final sectionof this podcast episode, there are
some podcasts that have been recordedpreviously that also talk about food
waste, and I will pop a link to thosein the description to this podcast.
(10:28):
But I'm just gonna share withyou those episode numbers now.
So episode 80, episode 51, episode23, and episode 22, all talk about
food waste in different ways.
Now you can find all ofthose episodes on Podbean.
You can find them on Spotify.
(10:49):
You can get to them on Amazon Music.
For episode 80, you can also find it onYouTube and actually watch that episode.
So finally then, as we've talked aboutbefore on the Challenge to Change
podcast, why not consider home composting?
(11:11):
There are lots of really great educationalmaterials about composting online, and
in fact, why not head to YouTube andsearch Cheshire East Recycling Service
for some videos from our wonderfulCheshire East Waste Reduction Volunteers.
We have some on composting, some onwormeries . They're a really useful
(11:32):
resource to help you get started withcomposting, or if you are already a
home composter, it has some really greattips to improve your composting process.
There's even a composting playlist.
So I will pop a link to that in thedescription of this podcast episode.
So finally, to recap, if you livehere in England, do look out for those
(11:56):
food waste and recycling bins in yourworkplace, and don't forget to use them
because it really does make a difference.
Consider planning your meals and alwayswork from what you have before thinking
about what you are going to buy.
Remember to use up your leftovers,and if you can't use them,
(12:18):
consider home composting them.
Think about your fridge, your freezer,and your store cupboards, and make sure
that those things that need using up firstare easily accessible and identifiable.
Don't be tempted to buy cheap dealsunless you are absolutely sure you're
going to use up what is on offer.
(12:39):
Otherwise, it's not really thatcost effective in the long run.
I really hope you've enjoyedthis podcast episode.
Thank you for listening. Bye for now.
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