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4.5 million tonnes of edible food is thrown away each year by UK households. Shockingly, 25% of this wasted food is due to cooking, preparing or serving too much – this costs UK households £3.5 billion each year. Food Waste Action Week is hopefully a solution.
Love Food Hate Waste is dedicating a whole week of action to shining a light on how simple behaviours to reduce food waste can save time and money. Ultimately, this will reduce the impact of food waste on climate change.
FAW is an awareness campaign lead by WRAP to encourage people to be more aware of their food waste and the impact it has on the environment. Amazingly, the campaign is currently in its 3rd consecutive year and will run between the 6 – 13 March 2023.
The theme for Food Waste Action Week 2023 is ‘Win. Don’t Bin.’ and it will demonstrate how valuable food is in our lives, how it unites people and how using up everything we buy saves money, time and the planet.
The campaign aims to increase people’s confidence in ‘using up leftovers’ by promoting a range of skills that can be easily adopted but potentially have the greatest impact on reducing food waste in the home.
The Love Food Hate Waste website is full of recipe inspiration and ingredient insights which can help you reduce your food waste.
Rainbow fried rice
Ingredients
Vegetables of your choice – peppers, red onion, mushrooms, green beans and spinach
200g cooked chicken, or any meat of your choice (optional)
1 egg
2 inch cube finely chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp tamari soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
400g cooked brown rice
1 chilli (optional)
Small handful roasted cashews (optional)
Recipe
1. Melt the coconut oil in a wok and fry the ginger, garlic, chilli (if using) and vegetables for a few minutes.
2. When browned, crack an egg in and scramble quickly.
3. Add in the cooked brown rice, cooked chicken, and tamari, and fry for another few minutes.
4. When nearly ready add in chopped spinach and mix through for 30 seconds.
5. Turn off heat, pour sesame oil over, mix and then serve. If you want, garnish with chopped cashews.
Greek-style lamb, spinach & feta pie
Ingredients
250g pack phyllo pastry (you will have some leftover)
*Make some jam or berry tarts for a simple treat to use up leftover pastry*
75g butter (melted)
200g roast leg of lamb, sliced finely chopped
1 large or 2 small onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (or 2 tsp garlic puree)
200g spinach leaves (fresh or frozen)
150g Feta cheese, crumbled
1 tsp dried mint
1 tsp dried oregano
4 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
Squeeze unused juice and freeze in ice cube trays
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to season
Tip: This recipe works perfectly with frozen meat. Check what you have in your freezer and defrost meat thoroughly before cooking.
Recipe
1. Remember to defrost your meat. Defrost in the fridge and use within 24 hours, or in a microwave on ‘defrost’ directly before use.
2. Heat a little olive oil in a large non-stick pan on medium heat. Add the onions and soften for a few minutes, before adding the garlic, oregano and mint. Fry on low-medium heat for 2 minutes to allow the onion to soften.
3. Add the pieces of chopped lamb, and then season well with salt and pepper.
4. Add the spinach in batches, allowing it to wilt slowly. Finish with the fresh parsley and lemon zest. Stir well and then remove from heat and set aside.
5. Layer 2 sheets of phyllo pastry into an ovenproof dish, allowing the edges to fall over the sides. Using a pastry brush, brush all around the base and sides with melted butter. Repeat the process two times, so that you have 6 layers of pastry in total.
6. Fill with the lamb and spinach mixture, and then sprinkle the crumbled Feta across the top.
7. Bring the sides in and brush the top of the pastry with melted butter.
8. Cook in a preheated oven (180°C/160°C Fan) for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until the Feta is melted and the pastry is golden. Serve with this tasty dish with a fresh tomato salad.
9. Remember to freeze any portions you don’t eat this time to save them from going in the bin. A great time saver for a simple meal another day when you may be busy. Simply defrost in the fridge and use within 24 hours.
Take the Food Waste Action Week 2023 quiz and enter their competition to win one of 52 amazing prizes.
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Posted by Leekes on March 9, 2023 in News & Events and Sustainability