5 minute read
Eco News
REDUCING FOOD WASTE Over one third of all food produced around the world goes to waste. In the UK alone we waste more then we think - throwing away 25 million slices of bread everyday along with 6 million potatoes and 1.4 million bananas. Over half of all food waste in the UK is happening at home.
Deadly methane Much of our food waste ends up in landfill and 40% of the UK's methane gas comes from biodegradable waste. When food waste decomposes without access to oxygen it creates methane which is 23 times more deadly than carbon dioxide. It takes water, energy, fuel and packaging to produce the food we all love and buy, so even if you use the council’s food waste collection service, it still uses many resources and is an inefficient waste of energy. Food that is never eaten accounts for 25% of all fresh water consumption globally. It has been said that the average UK family throws away around £500 worth of food each year that could have been eaten. In the last three years we've reduced our food waste by 7% but we still need to do more. If we all make a few small changes and start using up the food we buy, together we can make a big difference.
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Planet earth does not have the resources to feed the additional 2.3 billion people that will be joining the planet by 2050 – We need to act now and stop throwing away our food!
Regan demonstrating at the Greener & Cleaner Bromley (& Beyond) event
Last month Life In Orpington's Nicky attended the GCBB reducing food waste event at Beckenham Place Mansion. Guest speaker, Regan Anderton, owner of The Cooking Shed shared some of her top zero food waste tips:
Set your fridge to the correct temperature Your food will last longer, stay fresher and be free of bacteria by setting your refrigerator to the ideal temperature of 5°C.
No mush Stop salad going mushy by placing a piece of kitchen roll in the bottom of a pot that the salad is kept in.
Use the whole product Cauliflower leaves are great in a stir fry. Broccoli stems also taste great. Potato skins make great crisps - just pop them in the oven with some salt and vegetable or sunflower oil for 20 minutes at 180°. The ends of vegetables make a delicious gravy - just pop them in a roasting tin, add some flour and a vegetable stock and heat.
Try keeping any unused veg in a box in your freezer - they can then be used to make great soups.
Only buy what you need Think ahead about what you and your family are going to eat, make a weekly meal planner and shop to that plan.
Preserve food Making jams is another great way to use up any extra fruit that may otherwise be thrown away.
Freeze leftovers So much food can be frozen and reused. Check online if you are not sure what food can be frozen.
Share food Donate food to your local food bank or share on OLIO - a free app that connects neighbours with each other and with local shops so surplus food and other items can be shared, not thrown away. See www.olioex.com
the cooking shed's zero waste egg cups
Perfect for lunch and picnics - pimped with any ingredients you like (we chose ham, sweetcorn and spring onion for ours). They’re also great for using up any leftover veg or meats. Plus it's a great and simple dish to make together so get the kids to help. It also works well with bread that might be a little on the stale side!
Ingredients (makes 4 cups) 4 slices bread 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 medium free-range eggs 3 spring onions 3 slices of ham Small handful of frozen sweetcorn Small pinch of ground black pepper Method 1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees (gas mark 5) 2. Using a large round cutter, press circles out of each slice of bread (keep the crusts to use in bread pudding or for bread crumbs!) 3. Take a rolling pin and roll out/ flatten each circle 4. Brush 4 rounds of a muffin tin tray with a little olive oil 5. Press the bread in to the muffin holes 6. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs then snip in your spring onions with scissors, and tear the ham into small pieces. Add in a handful of frozen sweetcorn, season with the black pepper and give a final mix 7. Pour the mixture evenly in to the 4 bread cups then pop in the oven for 20 minutes or until the egg mix has completely set 8. Once cooked, remove from the oven then leave to rest for 10 minutes before removing the cups and eating them (ensure they’re not too hot for little mouths first!) Recipe from Regan Anderton, owner of The Cooking Shed. www.thecookingshed.com March 2020 Life in... Orpington 29
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