Tatworth WI
01 / 14

Use ↓ ↑ or scroll

Community action

Reducing Food Waste

At home and in our community. Practical tips, smart apps, and local initiatives to save money and protect the environment.

Tatworth WI — by Emillie Moon

Fresh produce stored in glass containers
A shared conversation

Your ideas belong in this room.

We will pause after each slide for comments, questions and ideas. There are no perfect kitchens, just useful things to try.

What is one food you most often find yourself throwing away?
Audience question

What are the UK’s three most wasted food products?

Take a guess. Use Next to unveil number three, then two, then one.

3

Milk

0 million pints

wasted every day in the UK

2

Bread

0 million loaves

wasted every day in the UK

1

Potatoes

0 million

whole potatoes wasted every day

Solutions

Start with a plan.

The simplest way to waste less is to buy with the food already at home in mind.

Before the next shop: check first, plan second, buy third.

Smart kitchen habits

Planning and storage techniques to keep food fresher for longer.

Shop with a plan

Check the fridge and freezer first. Take a quick photo of the shelves so you remember what you already have.

UK food waste fact

Most household food waste is bought with good intentions. A short list based on meals already planned helps stop duplicates.

Understand labels

Use by is a safety date. Best before is about quality: check with your senses.

UK food waste fact

Date labels are frequently misunderstood. Knowing the difference can save safe, perfectly edible food from the bin.

First in, first out

Put new shopping behind older items, bringing older food to the front so it gets used first.

UK food waste fact

Visibility matters. A clearly marked “use first” basket turns the fridge into a helpful prompt, rather than a mystery cupboard.

When plans change

Too much food? Rescue it.

Plans do not always work out. The next few ideas give extra food more time, and make the most of what is already there.

Storage & freezing hacks

A few small storage choices can make food last days longer.

Love your freezer

Treat it as a pause button: freeze bread slices, berries, grated cheese, milk and herbs in oil. Label portions with the date.

Keep produce fresh

Store potatoes and onions separately. Wrap celery and carrots in damp paper or stand them in water. Keep berries dry until you eat them.

Revive wilted greens

Soak limp lettuce, spinach or celery in ice water for 15 minutes. Use soft fruit in smoothies, baking or compote.

Make it last

Creative cooking & leftovers

Other ways to make extra food last longer: turn scraps and leftovers into new meals.

Colourful vegetable frittata

“Use-it-up” meals

Keep 1-2 flexible meals a week for frittatas, soups, stir-fries or tray bakes.

A pot of homemade stock

Stock & broth

Bag peelings, onion ends and herb stems in the freezer, then simmer for homemade stock.

A loaf of bread

Stale bread solutions

Turn dry bread into croutons, breadcrumbs, or bread and butter pudding.

Kitchen scraps ready for compost

Home composting & garden recycling

Cold composting

Fruit peels, plastic-free tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells and garden trimmings become soil conditioner.

Kitchen caddies

Keep a small countertop caddy lined with compostable bags so scraps are easy to collect while you cook.

Regrow scraps

Pop the rooted ends of spring onions, leeks or celery in water on a sunny sill.

Balance your compost

Alternate wet “greens” such as peelings with dry “browns” such as torn cardboard and twigs.

Give it air

Turn the pile occasionally to help it break down evenly and avoid a soggy compost heap.

Keep problem foods out

Avoid meat, dairy, cooked food and pet waste in a cold compost bin; use your council collection where available.

Share more, waste less

Smart apps & community fridges

When food is still good but no longer right for your kitchen, these local and digital options can help it find a new home.

App focus: Olio

  • What it isA free neighbourhood sharing app connecting neighbours with each other and local stores.
  • How it worksSnap a photo of surplus food, upload it, and a neighbour collects it from your doorstep — free.
  • Why use itClear the pantry before a holiday, share garden surplus, or keep good food out of the bin.

Download Olio →

Too Good To Go

  • What it isAn app that partners with bakeries, cafes, shops and restaurants to sell unsold food at a big discount.
  • How it worksReserve a Surprise Bag, pay in the app, and collect in the pickup window.
  • Why use itGood food for about a third of the usual price, and it helps local businesses too.

Nearby: Rowe's Cornish Bakers, Greggs, Las Tasquilinas, plus Costa and Starbucks a little further out. Open Too Good To Go →

Community fridges

  • What they areOpen communal spaces where anyone can share spare food or take what they can use.
  • How they workStocked by residents, allotment growers and shops. Volunteers check safety and cleanliness.
  • Why use themKeeps fresh food local, cuts waste, and brings neighbours together.

Nearby options include Chard Community Hub and Crewkerne. Find more at communityfridgemap.org.uk.

Fresh groceries ready to share

Let’s discuss

What are your favourite tips for using up leftovers or keeping food lasting longer?

Pick just one new idea to try this week Freeze herbs, download an app, or cook a use-it-up dinner.

© 2026 Tatworth WI. Presented by Emillie Moon.