The Big Day!
It’s Christmas time…
Smart festive food shopping
At Christmas everyone tends to buy more food than they can eat so it is a good idea to plan first!
- Make a meal planner for Christmas and New Year so you know what you are cooking, when and how many for
- Use a shopping list – this will ensure you only buy what you need and don’t forget anything
At the shops:
- Take your reusable bags
- Check use by and best before dates to ensure your items last over the Christmas period
- Look for festive snacks that can be frozen so they will last longer if you don’t get chance to eat them
- Buy vegetables loose or from your local market and buy crisps and snacks in large bags rather than multi-packs to save on packaging
- Don’t shop when hungry – you will end up buying more
Store correctly:
- Use air tight containers to keep your festive treats fresh, particularly mince pies and Christmas cake
- Bag clips (or a clothes peg) are great for keeping opened bags of crisps and snacks fresh
Christmas parties
- Why not let your guests help themselves to vegetables etc from large bowls on the table – this makes it easier for you to use up any leftovers
- Remember to recycle aluminium foil
- Compost fruit and vegetable peelings as well as any cardboard packaging
- Why not make your own party treats to save on packaging – homemade sweets are fun to make and will really impress your guests
- Don’t forget to recycle all your cans and glass bottles – an extra 750 million bottles and glass containers and 500 million drinks cans are used over the Christmas period
- Avoid using disposable plates, cups and cutlery if possible or visit www.littlecherry.co.uk for a whole host of eco or green party supplies, such as leaf plates and biodegradable balloons
Using up your festive leftovers
We waste a huge amount of food in the UK, but at Christmas it rises by a staggering 80%. This adds up to 230,000 tonnes of festive food waste!
Using up your leftover…..
…Turkey
- Turkey Sandwiches – Boxing day
- Turkey, ham & leek pie
- Turkey salad
- Turkey noodle soup
- Turkey, mango & lime salad
- Turkey can also be used in casseroles, soups and curries
… Brussel sprouts
- Bubble & Squeak
… Cranberry Sauce
- Cranberry brownies
…. Christmas pudding
- Ice Cream
- Christmas pudding strudel
For these recipes and many more visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
Don’t forget to use your freezer – cheese, milk, meats and vegetables can all be frozen to use at a later date, or why not make one of the tasty recipes above and freeze in separate portions for handy homemade ready meals.
Page Last Updated: 9 November 2011
