British households set to bin nearly 200,000 tonnes of food this Christmas
Buckinghamshire residents are being reminded to recycle their festive food waste
Last updated 26th Dec 2021
British households are set to throw out nearly 200,000 tonnes of food this Christmas. That is the equivalent of more than 6.6 million bins full of waste.
Research has revealed an estimated £146 is what it will take to stock fridges and cupboards this Christmas but more than £79 worth will be binned. Further research revealed that homes will throw away seven kilos of food over the festive days, which, based on the 24.8 million households in the UK, equates to 194,600 tonnes of waste.
Chucked cuts of turkey, ham and leftover bowls of Brussels sprouts, roast potatoes and pigs-in-blankets are adding to the UK’s hulking food mountains as families are guilty of bulk buying and overestimate portion sizes. 26% of the south east is guilty of throwing away Brussel sprouts, the most across the country.
Peter Strachan, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “Food waste is a huge contributor to climate change and while we would always prefer food to be eaten not wasted, in Buckinghamshire we can at least recycle the food and turn it into electricity and high-quality fertiliser".
Creative Neuro-scientist Katherine Templar Lewis says spices could be the secret to stopping the ballooning tide of food waste clogging UK landfills.
Katherine says: “Making a turkey curry or using cinnamon to create a whole new dish is a really easy way to whip up excitement in the kitchen post-December 25th while slashing Britain’s food mountains. We need to remember that Christmas is a multi-sensory experience, with sounds, smells and colours all contributing to our experience. And the right herbs and spices can work in our favour. Yellow in turmeric, for example, can lift our mood, while the smell of rosemary can help combat brain fog… something that’s particularly common in the days following Christmas celebrations.”
Potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and carrots are the festive food items most commonly thrown away and 59% of adults believe more food is thrown away over Christmas compared to any other time of year.
East of England
Only 42% of people always or often use herbs and spices to make leftovers more interesting
Garlic is preferred in the East of England, with 62% choosing it as their most used seasoning
55% believe food isn’t just about flavour, but how it looks too
25% of people in the region have never tried new recipes for Christmas leftovers
62% throw more food away over Christmas
South East
59% believe food isn’t just about flavour, but how it looks too
People in the South East estimate between £31 and £50 of the Christmas shop gets wasted
Brussel’s Sprouts are thrown away the most in the South East (26%)
60% said more is thrown away after Christmas
38% said they’d be more likely to cook something interesting with leftovers if given the right recipe