Give World Cup party food 'extra time'

Football fans planning a World Cup get-together are urged not to give leftover party food the red card.

Every year, enough food to fill Wembley Stadium ten times over is thrown out in the UK, most of which could be eaten.

Over £130 million worth of food is thrown out every year by Leicestershire homes, with each household throwing out on average £480 every 12 months - this increases to £680 per year for families with children.

With this in mind, people organising parties and barbeques to celebrate the tournament are encouraged to give 'extra time' to their food.

Brand new top tips have been published online including quick and easy party food recipes which can be created from simple ingredients in the home, as well as plenty of recipes to use up those leftovers. The advice is part of the Love Food Hate Waste campaign, designed to cut food waste, and supported by the Leicestershire Waste Partnership - made up of the county, district and borough councils. The partnership is also giving away free bag clips to help keep crisps and other snacks fresh.

Tony Kershaw, Chairman of the Leicestershire Waste Partnership, said: ”During the World Cup, everyone wants to spend less time in the kitchen and more time in front of the television.

"Food waste is damaging to the environment because producing, storing and getting the food to our homes uses a lot of energy and resources, all of which is wasted if food is thrown away. But by planning exactly what we want to eat, storing food correctly and saving leftovers for another meal, we can save up to £50 a month and prevent it reaching landfill where it releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

"If we stopped throwing food away, it would also save at least 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide which is equivalent to taking one in every four cars off our roads."

Love Food Hate Waste’s top summer tips include:

• Barbeque leftovers make great packed lunches for work or school the next day. Cold roast meat is delicious with pickle or chutney or add a dollop of leftover dip to a cold burger for a tasty lunch the next day. Visit lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipes for a tasty topped BBQ burger recipe.
• Crisps, salads and other buffet foods need not be thrown out if they are left at the end of the party. Put them in air tight containers or use a bag clip and they will stay fresh for another few days.
• Pop leftovers in the fridge as soon as they are cold. When you take them out of the fridge, eat them immediately or reheat straight away.
• Most fruit and vegetables can be kept in the fridge to maximise freshness – however bananas – the sportsman’s staple – are best kept in the fruit bowl.
  
  

To claim a free bag clip, please call 0116 305 7005 - these are available to Leicestershire residents only and limited to one per household.

For further food facts, tips and advice on how to reduce food waste, please visit www.lesswaste.org.uk .