Suffolk Waste Partnership news release:

For further information contact: Mark Langford

Tel: 01473 341446 Email: mark.langford@suffolk.gov.uk

Households urged to get Food Savvy and plan ahead to save money and avoid waste

As the cost of living continues to bite a new campaign has been launched in Suffolk to help families reduce food waste and save money.

Back To Savvy is a Suffolk Waste Partnership initiative which advises people on how to reduce food waste through planning out meals and storing them effectively.

The campaign will advise on planning meals and batch cooking, storing prepared meals so they are ready for work/school, and repurposing leftovers into new meals.

The three main top tips are:

1. Cook today, eat tomorrow - cook multiple meals together using batch recipes and store in a fridge or freezer for later
2. Love your leftovers - turn dinner leftovers into tasty lunches or even remix them into fun new recipes.
3. Plan ahead - organise your lunches by planning and buying in advance. Even a minute planning your meals will save you a tonne of time and money.

Back to Savvy launches on Monday September 5 and is part of the wider Suffolk and Norfolk Food Savvy campaign, which offers a range of advice and information on how to save food and money.

Households across the UK waste 6.6 million tonnes of food annually, of which it is calculated 4.5 million tonnes are good to eat.

In Norfolk and Suffolk, this equates to 118,000 tonnes of wasted food across the two counties annually.

The average family with children could save more than £730 per year if they were to reduce their avoidable food waste.

Food waste also contributes to climate change as the greenhouse gases associated with food waste in the UK are the equivalent of those produced by ten million cars.

Councillor James Mallinder, the chair of Suffolk Waste Partnership, said: “Family budgets are under huge pressure, so this is one way of helping ease the financial burden.

“As we head into autumn the cost-of-living crisis will undoubtedly affect many more families and our food-saving tips will help people to reduce the money they spend on wasted food. 

“With a little forethought and planning it is possible to make what we buy go further, last longer and help protect our environment.”

For more details go to the Food Savvy website.