Feed the family but not your bin this Christmas
Residents in Warwickshire are about to hit the most wasteful time of the year when it comes to food, throwing tonnes of it straight into the bin.
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “It’s great to celebrate Christmas with turkey and all the trimmings, but families should also remember that if they are throwing lots of food away, there is an environmental and financial implication.
“It would be great this year if people could try not to end up throwing lots of food away. Each family in Warwickshire is currently throwing away an average of £420 a year in food.”
As a result Warwickshire County Council and the county’s districts and boroughs, which make up the Warwickshire Waste Partnership, are calling on people to Love Food, Hate Waste this festive season.
Nationally the UK is throwing away the equivalent of £10.2 billion worth of unwanted fruit, vegetables and other food each year.
Cllr Heatley said: “Not only is this a waste of resources but it also has an environmental impact. Energy, water, packaging, transportation and storage are all used in food production and are being wasted. Every tonne of food needlessly thrown away is responsible for 4.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions.”
Most fruit and vegetables keep longer at lower temperatures. For example, oranges and pears will last up to two weeks longer if kept in the fridge. While some bulky vegetables such as potatoes and onions can be stored in a cool dark area and refrigeration is not necessary. It is simple advice that could save households hundreds of pounds in food costs over a year.
To try and help people with their turkey leftovers the Warwickshire Waste Partnership has come up with the following recipe:
Turkey Noodle Soup (serves 4)
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped finely
1 litre turkey stock
50g vermicelli noodles (rice noodles), or pasta
225g cooked turkey, or cooked ham, chopped finely
Spring onions and coriander to garnish
A pinch of salt
Some ground black pepprecorns
Instructions
In a large pan, cook the onion in a little of the stock until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the remaining stock and the noodles. Cook following the instructions on the noodle packet.
Add the chopped turkey and/or ham and heat through. Add seasoning to taste
Ladle the soup into bowls, add garnish and enjoy!!
More information and recipe ideas can be found by visiting http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
For more information on the campaign please contact the Waste Minimisation Team on 01926 412458 or visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/recyclewarks or http://www.wrap.org.uk