Chef Courtney Roulston shows how to reduce your Christmas food waste

Too much food will go into the bin this Christmas. But it’s easy to save money, help the planet and treat your tastebuds instead.

Most of us will continue to overstock our pantries and fridges leading into Christmas – and loads of what we buy will likely go to waste.

Experts warn this can cause unnecessary economic and environmental impacts.

Australian households throw away 2.5 million tonnes of edible food each year. That equates to nearly 300kg a person, according to food charity Foodbank.

“Every time we throw food in the bin we’re not just wasting our money, we’re discarding the vast amounts of resources, energy and water that it took to produce, refrigerate, transport and cook the food,” sustainability educator Laura Trotta says.

Many households will overstock their kitchens with food leading into Christmas, and loads of it will likely go to waste.

“Food in landfill releases methane, a greenhouse gas that is damaging to our environment.”

Researchers Melita Jazbec and Andrea Turner of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney say minimising food waste has a significant impact.

“If we reduced food waste worldwide by only 15 per cent, we would be able to feed 25 million people, equivalent to the entire population of Australia,” they say.

There are ways to cut back on food waste and still have a good time this silly season. It’s as simple as making a shopping list and reusing leftover Christmas treats.

Supermarkets such as Coles are cutting down on food waste in-store and working with suppliers to reduce waste in the transportation of products to distribution centres and stores.

Any unsold, edible food is donated to food rescue organisations such as SecondBite and Foodbank.

Chef and Coles ambassador Courtney Roulston urges Aussies to create a feast with a clean conscience. Here, she shares her top tips.

Courtney Roulston. Picture: Tim Hunter.

TURN LEFTOVERS INTO MEALS

Australians have forgotten the art of turning leftovers into meals.

A study by KitchenAid and OzHarvest finds 12 per cent say nothing will convince them to use leftovers, but 65 per cent believe recipe inspiration would help prevent food going to waste.

Roulston says there are ways to give Christmas food a second life.

For example, ham can be fried crispy with eggs and tomatoes for breakfast, sliced thinly into salads or sprinkled over a homemade pizza.

“Turkey or chicken is brilliant for adding into pies with things like mushrooms, leeks and thyme. Or make a soup by stripping the meat off the carcass and making a stock from bones,” she says.

“Cooked prawns are ideal for adding into soft white rolls with mayo and crisp lettuce, Thai-style salads with chilli and lime, or fresh rice paper rolls with soy and sesame dressing.”

STORE IT CORRECTLY

It’s crucial to store food correctly so it doesn’t spoil.

“Herbs are best stored in an airtight container that is lined with paper towels,” Roulston says. “If you do have herbs that have gone limp, things like parsley can have the stalks trimmed off the bottom and placed into a glass of water in the fridge to bring it back to life.

“Your leftover Christmas ham is best stored in a clean calico bag to prevent it from sweating and, if stored properly, should last for many days beyond Boxing Day.”

Jazbec and Turner say: “Cherries should not be washed until you are ready to eat them. Prawns need to be transported in a cool bag and shells should be left on until you are ready to prepare them.”

RETHINK WASTE

Cut down on overzealous shopping by writing a grocery list and checking cupboards twice.

“Check your cupboards and freezer for things you may have forgotten about and think about ways that you could incorporate what is already in your pantry into the menu,” Roulston says.

You should also plan a Christmas meal according to the number of guests, buy fresh food with minimal packaging and say no to plastic bags at the checkout.

Make your own compost heap or worm farm to dispose of food scraps. This will reduce waste going to landfill as well as provide natural fertiliser for your garden.

GET FRUGAL

Environmental engineer and sustainability educator Laura Trotta offers her tips.

● Plan to shop: By planning your Christmas meals carefully, you’ll be less likely to buy too much food. As much as you may love ham off the bone, a 10kg ham is a bit much for a family of four to handle. Once you have your meal plan sorted, you’ll need to create your shopping list directly from your plan, taking into account what food stocks you have on hand.

● Shop to plan: If your Christmas meal plan tells you that you need three potatoes, don’t buy a whole bag of them. It makes financial sense to stock up on specials of pantry staples you use often, but be extra careful where fresh produce and perishables are concerned. You won’t have saved anything if the produce is wilting in your fridge come New Year’s Eve.

● Cook to plan: Once you’re in the kitchen preparing your Christmas feast, be sure to stick to your plan. Any last-minute doubling of recipes or making extra side dishes could well increase the likelihood of food waste.

Towards a Better Future campaign in conjunction with Coles’ Better Together strategy will share stories on Farming, Local Communities, Health & Wellbeing, and Sustainability/Food Waste to shine a light on the people, charities and organisations that are helping make our country a better place to live.