Christmas Waste 2: Reducing Christmas Food Waste
In the first blog of this series, I gave details of the quantities of food wasted at Christmas. In this blog I give some information on reducing the waste. As always, the advice is avoid waste by only buying what you can eat. This entry finishes with a suggestion that you look at using a Bokashi system to ferment cooked food so that it can be composted safely. You can also use Council kerbside food waste collections where they are offered.
TURKEY The equivalent of 263,000 turkeys are wasted yet leftover turkey can be used it in any recipe which calls for leftover chicken.
If you cannot eat it freeze it. Post Brexit with possible delays when we take back control at our ports and docks it may be good to have some cooked meat in the freezer. Simply wrap it and label it. Check out the New Zealand site https://lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz/8-ways-with-leftover-turkey/ for a change or
BRUSSELS SPROUTS It can be hard to resist special offers in December and you must (?) have sprouts at dinner even if 17.2 million Brussels sprouts will be wasted. They can be composted but are best eaten Bubble and squeak is quick, easy way of using left over sprouts, remaining roast spuds, and various veg, serve up with pickles
https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/article/bubble-and-squeak
CARROTS 11.9 million carrots are wasted at Christmas. I assume by people who do not like bubble and squeak. OK this year let us go for something different. Fermented Carrots. Fermenting is a good way to make vegetables last longer All you need for this recipe is salt to make the brine and water. It will give the kids something to do:
https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipe/fermented-carrots%206
ROAST POTATO It is estimated that 11.3 million roast potatoes are wasted at Christmas. BBC Good Food have plenty of ideas to use up leftover mash or roasties. If you do not use them all in the bubble and squeak, they can be served them in tasty pies, soups, tortillas and fish cakes, or a classic hash. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/leftover-potato-recipes
CHRISTMAS CAKE If you have not made your cake yet, there’s still time! Check out this recipe www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipe/last-minute-christmas-cake.
At the end of the holiday when the relatives have gone, and you are back in your bubble the Christmas cake is still going strong! Check use-by dates on shop bought ones, but homemade Christmas cakes can keep for a good couple of months. Simply keep it in an airtight container. Or check out the recipes at https://easyfood.ie/recipe/5-ways-with-leftover-christmas-cake/
Love Food Hate Waste Christmas pages have lots of recipes and information go to https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/search?search_api_views_fulltext=christmas
Bokashi your food waste
Why not buy a pair of Bokashi bins for Christmas? These will deal with all types of food waste, that others say cannot be composted, by converting it into a pickled pre-composted that can then be buried or added to a normal compost bin without attracting rats! The photo shows waste in a Bokashi bin
Low cost Bokashi bins can be obtained from Getcomposting.com and a range of other suppliers. Details of using the bins can be seen at http://www.carryoncomposting.com/416920212
Latest comments
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Very informative site. Having been away for 5 weeks and returning to evidence of rats under and around the compost bin, I can testify to lack of human activity allowing the rats to get comfortable.
can i use dog manure in compost and mulching leaves?
What is the C and N ratio for coffee chaff?