There are plenty of benefits to frozen food – it’s easy to use, quick and nutritious – but what you may not be aware of is how it can help you save money and help the environment. It’s a 2-for-1! Environmental issues have come to the fore in recent years, with us realising it is everyone’s responsibility to reduce waste and their carbon footprint. Frozen food is great for this, as when food is frozen we’re less likely to create waste by taking out more than we need. However, there’s more you can do to keep your food waste levels down – read on for our top tips.
- Keep your grocery shop regular (e.g. once a fortnight) and buy in bulk
Frozen food can help here. Buy perishables daily but only to supplement the core meals that come from frozen. Cook two or three extra portions of any one recipe at the beginning of the period and then immediately freeze the extras.
- Plan your meals in advance
Sticking to a plan stops you coming home from the supermarket with a load of food, but no real idea of what you are going to cook. Planning won’t just cut back on waste – it will save you a lot of time and money as well!
- Plan your shopping list
Make a list and stick to it! The facts above are telling in this respect – 340,000 tonnes of food every year that is completely edible, yet never makes its final destination.2 Contrary to popular belief, there’s a huge range of frozen foods that cover nearly every food range.
- Use and understand your freezer
You really can buy almost anything in frozen form – from herbs through to meat, bread through to cakes or fish. With correct care and maintenance your freezer will become your most useful tool in the fight against waste.
- Make sure you get your portion control correct
By only cooking what you need straight from the freezer, you will get your portion control more accurate. Also, remember that world food prices are going up. The more we waste, the faster they will rise. So work out what you eat in terms of weight, and make a note for future reference. Eventually it will become second nature!3
- Use your leftovers – don’t throw them away
The freezer and Tupperware are the two best things that ever happened to waste management. Make the most of both of them, and you’ll always have a freezer full of frozen uncooked food and frozen leftovers ready for reheating!4
- Don’t shop hungry
Feeling hungry will tempt you into buying a whole load of stuff you don’t really need or want! By shopping soon after you’ve eaten, you will become a lot more discerning with your grocery shop.
- Think of ways to cut down on packaging
It’s not just food that we waste… the packaging it comes in is now also proving to be a massive burden. Major supermarkets are now looking at ways to reduce packaging. By thinking green and considering the frozen alternatives, you will naturally reduce the amount of packaging waste that you generate.
If you want to get started on making the most of frozen ingredients, check out some of our fantastic frozen recipes and meal ideas.
FOOTNOTE:
2, 3, 4 “Waste not…” Laura Barton and Jon Henley, The Guardian 08.07.08
