Hints and tips for food
Use the categories below to view hints and tips. Why not share your food tips with us?
Adding leftovers to your mince
Shared by Love Food Surrey
If you have leftover vegetables like carrots, mushrooms or even peppers - try adding them to your mince. You can also add other items like lentils or grated potato.
Apple sauce
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Peel and chop the apples, and place in a saucepan with a little water, lemon juice and castor sugar (maybe some cinnamon too).
Cook gently for about 15 mins, stirring regularly. Then whisk or blend smooth.
It's lovely with pork but can also be a dessert with cream (fool) or ice-cream.
Apples in jam
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
When making jam add one or two apples to the mixture, the pectin in apples helps the jam to set.
Avocado tips
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
1. Blend over-ripe avocado flesh down with milk, yogurt and a touch of maple syrup or sugar for a lovely green, smooth-tasting smoothie.
2. Lemon juice helps to stop cut avocados turning brown.
3. Also, if you pop the avocado stone into a bowl of guacamole or salsa, this will keep the dip fresh and green for at least 2 hours; remove stone before serving!
4. Ripe avocado can be spread onto toast instead of butter!
5. Keep the half avocado with the stone still in place and put on a dish/plate in the fridge. You should be able to use the avocado the following day without it going off.
6. If you buy avocadoes hard, ripen them on your kitchen windowsill. They're ready when they 'just give' as you squeeze them, their texture should feel like butter at room temperature. To speed up the ripening process you can put them into a paper bag (or dark drawer) with a banana.
Bacon
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Buy a big packet of bacon and freeze each rasher between a layer of grease proof paper inside a freezer bag. The greaseproof paper lets you easily peel off individual rashers meaning you can remove exactly as much as you need. The frozen bacon rashers can also be trimmed of fat much more easily, they don't even need to be defrosted before going in the microwave or on the grill.
Banana ice cream
Shared by Monica, Sunbury upon Thames
The BEST banana ice cream is made from nasty old blackening bananas. Usually destined for the bin, just skin them and put them in the freezer. When you fancy a nice dessert just take them out and put them in a food processor and whizz until creamy (this takes a while and you might need to use a spatula to push the mix down from time to time). This is now ready, but if you want to make it even more special add a couple of dollops of Greek yoghurt, some cinnamon and nutmeg and whizz again. Delicious either way and a perfect use for horrid old bananas!
Be real at Christmas
Shared by Geoff, Redhill
At Christmas: I know it sounds stupid, but just cook what you REALISTICALLY are going to eat! I have learnt this over many Christmases, and know pretty much all that gets thrown out is the bones (after they have been used for stock!) Also, nowadays there is absolutely no need to stock up for Christmas, as supermarkets are only shut for TWO days, not the two weeks you seem to see people preparing for!
Bread bin
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Bread goes stale much faster in the fridge. Instead, store in a cool, dark and dry place such as a bread bin or store cupboard. Remember to re-seal the pack.
Breadcrumbs
Shared by Anon, Claygate
Why not make breadcrumbs from the ends of a loaf by whizzing them in a food processor, and then keep them in the freezer to add as a topping or ingredient in a recipe?
Bruised apples
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
If apples have bruised areas, simply cut off, and grate the remaining apple into salads or cut into wedges and give to children as a snack.
Brussel sprouts
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
If you've accidentally overcooked the Brussels sprouts or have masses leftover, puree in a food processor with some crème fraîche and serve as a puree. This can also be frozen for later.
Bubble and squeak
Shared by Sally, Woking
If you have leftover vegetables from Christmas dinner keep them in the fridge and then make them into bubble and squeak the next day. It has become a tradition in my house now to have cold turkey or gammon with bubble and squeak (cheesy topped is great) accompanied by fried eggs, pickles and cranberry sauce on Boxing day. They look forward to it as much the Christmas dinner itself.
Chicken
Shared by Carol, Reigate
Buy a whole chicken and use the legs for a curry dish and chicken breast for a lovely roast. You can also use the carcass to make stock, which makes lovely soups.
Christmas catering
Shared by Beverley
Cater for at least one less than is coming for your Christmas dinner. There is always over catering and so much choice that everyone over indulges. Children are usually too excited to eat much so cut down on the main meal.
Christmas smart family shopping
Shared by Sheila, Dorking
Work out in advance how much food you need at Christmas - ie in our family, only 2 people like sprouts so I only buy 8 sprouts in total. I make stir-fries with leftover turkey and other veggies ( if there are any!) I only buy food that everyone likes - why buy cranberry sauce when no one eats it? I save the Christmas pudding for Easter - we're too full after the main course so I do a light syllabub or similar.
Cooking in bulk
Shared by Pippa, Guildford
I have found if you cook more in bulk and are organised enough to freeze what you don't use immediately, you can actually have a week off from cooking the following week. This saves money and frees up some of my time which can be better used elsewhere!
Dinner time variety
Shared by Shira, Reigate
Any leftovers I have, I tend to freeze and serve up into another dish the following week, that way the family don't get bored of the same food for days on end.
Eggs - best before dates
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Eggs can be eaten a day or two after their best before date has passed, and must be cooked thoroughly.
Elene's tips
Shared by Elene, Guildford
I'm only buying food items I think I need and I even ignore BOGOF items if they are perishable, I know we won't get through the amount and I can't freeze it. Also, prior to going on holiday, instead of trying to eat all the fruit, or chucking it if I couldn't get someone to take it, I made fruit smoothies and froze it in portions which are defrosting just fine. I'm making lots of soups which is a great way of using broccoli stalks etc. I've grown courgettes and a few other veg which we are using. Also, Lisa came over yesterday and we didn't overfill the children's plates, gave them more if needed and then ate what they left as part of our lunch instead of chucking it. I have also been taking fruit back to the store if it goes off before use by date, so they are aware that there may be a problem with a specific supplier/batch etc.
Family meals
Shared by Anon, Old Coulsdon
Only give your family the food they like to eat and portions which they can manage, do not overload plates – it is better to feel a little hungry than over full.
Filo pastry
Shared by Robin Van Creveld
Filo dries out quickly – it's best to cover it with a damp cloth while you're working with it. Make sure your filling of choice is cool before you wrap it in filo. Filo pies and pastries freeze well so it's worth making more than one pie or batches of the small pastries and freezing them unbaked. Small pastries can be cooked from frozen.
Fish cakes
Shared by Sally, Godalming
If you have spare potatoes or fish (like tuna or salmon) to use up, try making fish cakes. Just mash the potatoes and fish together, seasoning with salt and pepper (or add some spice if you prefer). Then roll into shape, coat in flour and fry.
Fish mousse
Shared by Sally Godalming
If you have spare fish, blend it with some creme fraiche to make a fish mousse. This could be used as a pasta sauce.
Freezing bread in slices
Shared by J F, Old Coulsdon
Try freezing slices of bread in amounts you will use, this will reduce the amount of bread wasted.
Freezing bread products
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Sliced bread, pita, crumpets, hot cross buns and bagels can all be frozen. They can be toasted straight from the freezer.
Freezing cake
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Freeze leftover cake in slices to eat later. Whole cakes can be frozen for up to one month without affecting the taste or texture if wrapped in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil.
Freezing cheese
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Cheese can be frozen. Try grating it before you freeze it, then you can use it straight from the freezer to top pasta bakes and casseroles.
Freezing parmesan
Shared by Sally, Godalming
I freeze parmesan, as we can never eat a whole block while it is at its best. You can grate it first, of freeze in the block and grate from frozen (although this is a little tougher than when chilled).
Freezing pineapple
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Save leftover pineapple (fresh or tinned) in the freezer, use defrosted in fruit salads and add frozen to other fruit and liquidise for a great smoothie! Children also like it as ice cubes in their drinks.
Freezing raspberries
Shared by Cat
When we have a lot of spare home grown raspberries, we freeze them for use in fruit crumbles and sponges over the winter.
We have a shelf in the freezer especially for freezing berries but this can be done on a baking tray, leaving a small spacing between the berries. This prevents them from sticking together when frozen straight in a freezer bag or box, making it easier to take a few out at a time.
Freezing tomatoes
Shared by Love Food Surrey
You can freeze tomatoes in batched (in freezer bags). Use them as you would passata or tinned tomatoes, as the consistency will change when they are defrosted.
Freezing wine
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Freeze leftover wine in ice cubes to use when cooking at a later date.
Fridge/freezer tips
Shared by Ngaire
1. Keep food covered and chilled, especially in warm weather.
2. Freeze leftovers in single portions and label them.
3. Go through your freezer every three months and make a 'mystery dish' with anything that needs using up.
4. Run down the contents of your fridge before going away on holiday - you'll survive with a couple of empty fridge shelves.
Frozen grapes
Shared by Cat
You can freeze grapes if you have too many - and eat them from frozen. They taste great, or could be used instead of ice cubes in the summer for drinks.
Frozen watermelon
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
If you have watermelon left over, chop it up into cubes and put it in the freezer. This makes a really sweet, healthy snack and is a good way to cool down on a hot day.
Frozen yogurt
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Frozen yogurt makes a lovely dessert and tubes of fromage frais made for children are actually easier to eat once frozen. If you have a big family sized pot of yogurt to use up, try pouring it in to ice lolly moulds.
Garlic bread
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Spread garlic butter on the crusts from a loaf and toast under the grill. Cut into fingers and serve for a quick and easy snack.
Have a Curry Christmas
Shared by Louise, Ashford
Use up leftover vegetables from your Christmas lunch to make a quick tasty meal by heating up 3 tbsp of curry paste in a frying pan and heating up the leftover vegetables in it (cut up the potatoes and sprouts into smallish pieces). Add a tin of chopped tomatoes and heat through and serve on it's own or with rice.
Hot turkey salad
Shared by Emma
Make a tasty salad with your Christmas turkey. Fry garlic, chilli and ginger in a hot pan. Add the shredded turkey and some cashew nuts. Add Chinese five spice and continue to stir fry until the ingredients are golden. Make a dressing of oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, pepper. Add the warm turkey to some Chinese leaf and dress the salad. Sooooo nice with some prawn crackers and a glass of white wine. Enjoy in front of a fire!
How to freeze cream
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Whip any leftover cream before you freeze it to stop it becoming 'grainy' when it's thawed.
How to store pineapples
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Pineapples should ideally be stored in a cool place but not in the fridge.
How to use up fish
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Most fish can be flaked and added to scrambled eggs, tossed into spicy rice dishes or made into a pâté by adding mayonnaise or cream cheese for a dip.
I use what's in my cupboards before I go off to the shops
Shared by Shirlee, Guildford
I use what's in my cupboards before I go off to the shops which probably saves at least £20 a week.
Ice cube trays
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Ice cube trays which are great for freezing stock or fresh herbs in a little water.
Keeping a food waste diary
Shared by Charlotte, Guildford
Keeping a food waste diary: I'm surprised by how much I'm monitoring when it comes to wasting food. I have tried to buy a smaller shop as a result of the comments in my diary and have found this has saved me money.
Left over potatoes
Shared by Love Food Surrey
You can use potatoes up by putting them in soups. They are great to use to thicken soups which can be frozen.
Leftover broccoli?
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
If you have lots of leftover broccoli, add a little skimmed milk and puree. Serve as a sauce for fish or chicken. It tastes creamy and isn't fattening.
Don't discard the stalks they're the best bit! Peel the stalks, cut lengthways and cook with the florets or eat raw.
Leftover milk
Shared by Love Food Surrey
You can freeze milk (before the end of the use by date), either in the bottle or in ice cube trays. Small amounts in ice cube trays defrost quickly and are perfect for cups of tea when you come back from holiday.
Leftover pesto
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
You can freeze pesto by the teaspoon in ice cube trays. You can then use them as you need them and add them to dishes still frozen.
Leftover salad
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
If you have leftover salad, cover with a damp piece of kitchen paper before covering with cling film or putting in a sealed container. This really prolongs the life of the salad leaves.
This also works well with salad bags, which when left in the bag tend to sweat and go limp/brown very quickly.
Leftover salsa
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Use leftover salsa as the base layer of pizza toppings or as a delicious chilli layer in a gratin.
Making salt last longer
Shared by Cat
If you add some rice to your salt shaker, it will absorb any moisture, keeping the salt better for longer.
Making the most of ginger
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Fresh ginger often ends up wrinkled and dry in the salad drawer of the fridge. The best way to keep it is to cut it into manageable chunks then peel it. Put the chunks into a polythene bag and freeze them. Ginger is much easier to grate from frozen than it is from fresh.
Mash potato
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Freeze leftover mashed potato in bags and use it for bubble and squeak or shepherd's pie topping.
Maureen's tips
Shared by Maureen, Banstead
I normally give any perishable food to my daughter before a holiday but once this was not possible as we were all going on holiday together. I therefore cooked all my veg in the vegetable basket before going on a ten day holiday (potatoes, onions, carrots, curly kale) mashed it up into bubble and squeak and froze it in portions.
I also freeze any leftovers from a takeaway and use it later for lunches when I'm on my own. I also freeze the crusts cut off of my grandchildren's sandwiches and use them to make bread pudding when I have enough.
Meat bones
Shared by Anon, Kingston
If you're a meat eater boil up left over bones and freeze for use later as stock. Use any left over water used for boiling/steaming veg in the same way.
Meat storage
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Store meat properly to help to keep it fresh, avoid the spreading of bacteria and the potential for food poisoning:
- Store raw meat and poultry in clean, sealed containers on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
- Do not eat meat after the use-by-date and always read the label for storage instructions.
Menu planning
Shared by Susan, Weybridge
Plan the menu for each day before you go shopping and only buy what you need.
Menus
Shared by Nick, Guildford
Make a menu each week, and then only buy food that you are going to need for your menu.
Mess free wine freezing
Shared by Sally, Godalming
On occasion I have found freezing wine in ice cube trays messy as the high alcohol content prevents it from freezing as well as water does.
I now keep a small old ice cream tub in the freezer with a few freezer bags in it. Then I pour leftover wine into the bags. This can be emptied straight into the dishes and is easier then getting the slushy liquid out of the ice cube trays.
Onions
Shared by Love Food Surrey
You can freeze onions. If you have too many to use, why not chop them and freeze them? This will help you save time when cooking too.
Packaging can help
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Fruit and veg,are best kept in the bag they come in as it keeps it fresher for longer. A shrink-wrapped cucumber for example will last around three times longer than one which has been sold loose.
Portion planning
Shared by Lorraine
Make sure you only buy enough food for the amount of people you have coming round as everything never gets eaten no matter how much you have bought.
Portioning rice
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Rice cannot be re-heated more than once so portion it out if you have too much for one serving.
Ready Steady Cook
Shared by Jane, West Horseley
With your leftovers, play Ready Steady Cook. Instead of a bag of ingredients, pretend to be the chef and come up with a new dish with some of your leftovers.
Rebecca's tip
Shared by Rebecca
With the arrival of our baby, time and money are more scarce but I use the time at home that I now have to plan meals for the week that are healthier and lower in price. We use our blender to mix up fresh veg to make interesting sauces and toppings and we now throw away the bare minimum. It's not just saving waste but also saving money.
Rescue over-whipped cream
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
If you have over-whipped the cream, rescue it by adding a little un-whipped cream or milk and a pinch of sugar.
Revive your bread
Shared by Anon, Dorking
To give your bread a new lease of life, wet your hand under the cold tap and stroke water evenly onto the bread. You may need to do this several times if it is a 'grand baton', less if its just 1/2 a small stick. Put in a moderate oven for 5-10 mins and serve crisp and hot from the oven. Alternatively, wrap in a plastic bag overnight (if you have to purchase it the day before you wish to use it) and crisp in the oven without any additional wetting. I learnt these tricks in France where this is common.
Revive your carrots
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Put soft carrots in a glass of water in the fridge - they'll perk up in no time.
Revive your greens
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Soak wilted greens in cold water for 30 minutes to revive them for a salad or sandwich.
Ripening fruit
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Bananas help other fruits to ripen, if your fruits need ripening quickly put them next to a banana. Alternatively keep your bananas separate from other fruits if you don't want them ripening too fast.
Saving cake disasters
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
If your cake sinks after baking, remove the centre with pastry cutter and fill with fresh fruit and cream and serve as a dessert. If you can, use the centre piece in the same way but a mini-version.
Failed English muffins can make a great alternative to bread for bread and butter pudding.
Saving peppers
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
If you're only using part of a green or red pepper, leave the stem, seeds and membrane intact, the pepper will store much longer than when you remove them.
Serving rice
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Ideally serve rice straight after it has been cooked. However if this isn't possible, ensure you cool the rice within an hour – either by running it under cold water, or putting in a plastic container and then putting in a bowl of cold water.
Store cooked rice in the fridge – but don't keep for longer than a day before reheating.
When reheating rice, ensure that it is piping hot throughout.
Shopping
Shared by Ngaire
1. Never shop in a hurry or when you're hungry.
2. Always look through your cupboards and fridge before making a list of what needs replacing or what can go with what.
Shopping in independents
Shared by Ruth from The Larder farm shop at The Medicine Garden
Buy little and often. Shopping in independents often means you can buy smaller portion sizes so you don't have to worry about any extra waste.
Simple ideas
Shared by Anne, Dorking
Don't prepare too much food to start with. Make sure you have simple recipes to hand in advance for using up any leftovers.
Soften dried fruit
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Pour boiling water over hard dried fruit which has been in the cupboard too long and leave to soak and soften.
Spare soft drinks
Shared by Cat
If you have spare soft drinks including fruit juice, squash and fizzy drinks why not freeze them in lolly moulds for a treat?
Stale cereals, crisps and nuts
Shared by Love Food Surrey
Stale cereals, crisps or nuts can be revitalised by baking for three to five minutes at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and then stored in an airtight container.
Stale chocolate cake
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Microwave stale chocolate cake, about 20 seconds for a slice, and it'll become gorgeous gooey hot chocolate fudge cake. This may also work with other types of cake.
Stilton
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Too much stilton cheese at Christmas? It can be frozen and used later in homemade celery soup. Stilton doesn't need grating before freezing because it's not pressed in the manufacturing process like hard cheeses.
Storing cakes and pastries
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Cakes and pastries are best stored in a covered box or suitable container, out of direct sunlight.
Sue's planning tips
Shared by Sue
Go through your cupboards and freezer at the beginning of each month and list what you have - this way you will not double up. Check dates and plan to use up anything with the help of the calendar and writing a meal plan. You will probably find you have a month's worth of meals already in the freezer, so when you next go shopping, plan meals on what you have left.
Sugar
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
If you've got rock-hard brown sugar or crystallised honey/syrup, put it in a microwaveable bowl and give it a quick blast of about 30 seconds on a high setting in the microwave. This will bring them back to their normal state.
Sweetcorn
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
If you have excess fresh corn, slice off the kernels and freeze in mini portions ready to be sprinkled onto pizza or used in salads.
Tired mushrooms
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
If your mushrooms are looking a bit wrinkled, chop them and toss them in some melted butter and freeze – great on pizzas, in stews and casseroles.
Toast
Shared by Love Food Surrey
If you'd rather not use bread for sandwiches because it's starting to go hard, it can still make great toast.
Too much pasta
Shared by Love Food Surrey
If you cook too much pasta, cool and refrigerate it within 90 minutes (and eat within two days). Alternatively you can rinse it through with cold water and then freeze it in portions for another time.
Tortilla wraps
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
Keep wraps in the freezer. They can be defrosted individually under a grill within 30 seconds, long enough to assemble the ingredients. They don't go soggy and they're there for the days you run out of bread.
Using all your chicken
Shared by Claire
Our home made chicken casserole becomes a tasty chicken soup which can be eaten for lunch or dinner, at home or at work, by blitzing it in the food processor. Our last casserole had puy lentils in and these added colour and flavour which enhanced the parsnips in the dish.
The chicken carcass is used to make stock for seafood and pea risotto or it is frozen at a later date.
Not much goes to waste in our house!
Using frozen food before shopping
Shared by Nikki, Guildford
I've been looking in my freezer for what is in there before buying additional food. This has helped me clear out some food that has been lying in there for months, and therefore saved money on the weekly shop!
Using up fromage frais
Shared by Love Food Hate Waste
You can use fromage frais instead of butter and milk in mashed potato, and then use the remainder to thicken curry, or use with a little artificial sweetener and vanilla essence instead of cream on fresh fruit desserts.
Using vegetables for stock
Shared by Helen
When chopping vegetables I always save the ends, stalks or scraps that would usually get thrown away. I put them in a freezer bag and freeze them for future use in stocks.
Using your leftovers with filo pastry
Shared by Robin Van Creveld
A cunning way of repackaging leftovers, these paper-thin translucent sheets of pastry are commonly used in Greek, eastern European and Middle Eastern cuisines. Filo is a readily available, versatile and healthy alternative to heavy high fat ready-made pastries. Individual sheets or pastry are brushed with oil or butter and then layered together or folded to make delicious and flaky pastries and pies.
A great way to use up leftover veg!