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Green food shopping
Your weekly grocery shop has a significant impact on the environment.For example, fuel is used to travel to and from the supermarket and to transport and manufacture the items you buy. Then there's the packaging used to protect the food itself and the amount of produce that ends up being wasted each week!
By planning ahead and thinking about how you shop, you can do your bit for the environment and save money on your food bills.
Food waste
Did you know that the average UK household spends approximately £680 a year on food that ends up in the bin? Throwing food away wastes the energy used to produce, package and transport it.If you do have to throw food away, you can put it into your brown bin or food waste bin. Avoid food waste by following these tips:
- Write a list before you go shopping so you're less likely to buy unnecessary items.
- Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry. Research shows you're more likely to impulse buy on an empty stomach.
- Plan your meals in advance so you know exactly what you need.
- Always use leftovers. Try using vegetables in a stir-fry or use leftover chicken or beef in sandwiches.
- If you can't use leftovers up, freeze them for another time.
- Get food storage tips, tasty recipes and portion advice from www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
- Measure pasta, vegetables and meat out so you don't cook too much. Visit NHS Choices for more information.
- Buy a home composter or wormery so you can recycle vegetable peelings, teabags, egg shells and garden waste into organic fertiliser for your garden and plants.
- Checking dates saves money. Food can be eaten right up to a ‘use-by’ date or frozen. Best before dates are displayed for quality reasons and there is no need to throw food out on the best before date, with the exception of eggs.
- Safefood has more information on storing leftovers.
Freezer hero
Your freezer's a hero! You can freeze food you haven't had time to eat right up to its 'use by' date. It acts like a pause button, giving us more time to eat the food we buy. Once frozen it won't spoil and puts the 'use by' date on hold.In a survey, only 21% of people interviewed had frozen food nearing its 'use by' date during the past week. It's safe to freeze almost any food. If it's got a 'use by' date freeze before the date, defrost and use it within 24 hours.
Making the most of your freezer
Here are some handy tips to help you make the most of your cold storage, which can save you time and money.- The look and texture of some food can change when it's frozen (like yoghurt and cheese) but this doesn't mean it's not safe to eat. Try using it in a different way. Yoghurt that's been frozen makes great smoothies, cheese makes great cheese on toast or a topping for pasta bake.
- Try freezing food in portions, it defrosts quicker and you'll have just what you need for an easy meal. This could include bread, meat portions (for example chicken breasts) and leftover meals.
- It's good to wrap food properly before freezing to keep it at its best. Use freezer bags or plastic containers and minimise the air around the food. This helps avoid 'freezer burn' which can affect the texture and taste of your food.
- In the freezer, food can be safely stored forever, but the quality deteriorates. So it's best to try and eat frozen food within three months.
- Defrost food in the fridge, use within 24 hours and cook thoroughly making sure it's piping hot all the way through.
You CAN freeze it
A survey conducted by WRAP found the foods people freeze most often are lamb, beef, fish, seafood, bakery (bread and cakes), chicken and minced meat.Some people surveyed thought that eggs (20% of respondents), milk (17%), cheese (16%) and fruit (16%) weren't suitable for freezing. But you can freeze all these things and more. So as well as the usual food stuff, try freezing something different. Here are some ideas:
- Eggs – don't freeze in the shell. Beat into a mixture or freeze whites and yolks separately. De-frost in the fridge, not at room temperature. Adding salt (for savoury), sugar (for sweet) stops yolks going lumpy. Use as you would fresh eggs.
- Milk - freeze as soon as possible and thaw in the fridge. Plastic containers are okay for freezing milk in, but the milk will expand so pour out a small amount to allow for this.
- Cheese – try grating Cheddar cheese before freezing and use as toppings on pizza or shepherd's pie from frozen. Stilton can be frozen without grating.
- Fruit – slice and freeze lemons then use them straight from the fridge in iced drinks.
- Cooked meat - such as chicken and turkey. Thaw in the fridge and use as normal, in casseroles, curries and stews.
- Bread - use from frozen as toast or make sandwiches for work – by lunchtime they'll be de-frosted.
- Potatoes - parboil and freeze them for later, thaw and roast. Mashed potato freezes well.
- Yoghurt – pots can be placed straight in the freezer but the yoghurt will expand, so make sure there's enough space in the pot to allow for this. If there isn't, transfer to another container before freezing. Defrost and use in smoothies or straight from frozen as a frozen yoghurt dessert.
Packaging
Did you know that one third of our shopping bill is spent on packaging? Many food items are sold with large amounts of packaging, much of which is unnecessary. Not only does the packaging take up room in your bin but it also uses up valuable resources during production.You can reduce it by:
- avoiding unnecessary, or excessive, packaging
- opting for loose items, such as fruit and vegetables, when possible
- only buying packaged items that can be recycled. Waxed cardboard / Tetrapak can't be recycled. Find out more about what you can recycle in your bins
- always taking a reusable bag with you when shopping. Keep it in your car or handbag so you always have it handy
- choosing packaging that is labelled as biodegradable or compostable.
Produce
Some foods have more impact on climate change than others because of the way they are produced, packaged, transported or cooked. Try following these tips:- stock up with grains, pulses, fruit and vegetables which cost less to produce
- durable food such as pasta or rice can be bought in larger packs to save money and use less packaging
- limit your intake of meat and dairy products
- choose fresh unprocessed or lightly processed products which don't require a lot of energy to produce
- buy food which is in season or made locally
- look for labels which show that food has been produced according to sustainability guidelines
- support food which has been grown organically or has been made according to green standards
- try to buy directly when you can to save on fuel costs and emissions.
