Stop Food Waste Day
Are you ready to take the Stop Food Waste Day Challenge?
Are you ready to take the Stop Food Waste Day Challenge?
Learn about your food waste and discover where you can save on your food bill!
Friday, March 1st is National Stop Food Waste Day, and this year, we’re asking: “Do you know which foods you waste the most?”
The Stop Food Waste Challenge
We’re challenging you to track your food waste for one week to pinpoint which types of food you waste the most. If we know how much we waste, we can see where we can make savings on our next food bill.
To record what food you’re throwing out, you could:
- Keep a pen and notepad near your food waste bin to jot down each discarded item.
- Use your phone’s notes app to record what you waste.
- Try our Weekly Food Waste Recording Sheet to log what’s going into your food waste bin.
During the challenge, try to involve everyone in your household in recording wasted food, or appoint a ‘Food Waste Tracker’—whatever works best for you!
At the end of the week, tally up your results to identify which food types you wasted the most. By being aware of what you waste, you can pinpoint where you can cut back on your food expenses and take action!
What We Know:
The average Irish household can save around €700 a year by reducing food waste. In the most recent national food waste attitudes survey, commissioned by the EPA, four food types were identified as being wasted most often in Ireland:
- Leftovers (43% of people said this is the food they waste the most)
- Bread (41% of people said this)
- Fruit (39%)
- Vegetables (38%)
If you find yourself wasting any of these food types, or perhaps all four, don’t worry—you’re not alone! The good news is, there are simple steps we can all take to curb food waste:
Buy less, store better, eat it, or freeze it.
How You Can Take Action:
After participating in the Stop Food Waste Challenge, you’ll Know Your Food Waste. The next step is knowing how to reduce it. Here are some ideas to help you get started:
Leftovers– Plan to use your Leftovers!
- If you don’t feel like eating the same meal 2 days in a row, put a date on it for lunch next week and pop In freezer.
- Still have half a portion of last night’s curry leftover? Pop it in a lunchbox with pitta bread to take it to the office!
Bread – Freeze It and Enjoy!
- Freeze any excess bread to use in the future. Learn how to make the most of your bread.
- No need to toss stale bread—check out Jamie Oliver’s top tips to prevent bread waste.
Fruit – Store Better and Enjoy!
- Did you know? A peeled banana can be stored in the fridge for a few hours but will last longer if wrapped in aluminium foil.
- Only wash berries when you are about to use them. Most types can be kept for a few days in the fridge. Keep an eye on them and quickly remove any berries that are going bad.
VEGETABLES (Buy Less – Eat It)
- You can buy potatoes singly or in different package sizes. A large bag of spuds is only good value if they are eaten. More about potatoes.
- Tired-looking and floppy veggies are still nutritious and can make a yummy meal. Try SafeFood’s Vegetable Provencal recipe.
Will You Take the Stop Food Waste Day Challenge?
Whether you’re joining in the seven-day challenge starting on Stop Food Waste Day on March 1st or taking it on at your own pace, we want to hear about your experience!
Share your results on social media using the hashtag #KnowYourFoodWaste and tagging @stopfoodwaste.ie
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