With the cost of living crisis ongoing and supermarket prices high, reducing food waste has never been more crucial not just for our wallets, but also for the planet. Shocking figures suggest that around 40% of food intended for human consumption ends up in the bin, translating to unnecessary hits on both finance and environment.
Thankfully, Tesco has some ingenious tips for curbing this wasteful trend, particularly for any leftover cheese that often turns into unwanted fridge relics.
Tesco’s top tip for dairy dilemmas is quite straightforward: “Hard cheeses like Cheddar, Red Leicester or Comte all freeze well if you are clearing out the fridge. Our tip: freeze grated cheese in airtight Tupperware. This will make it easier to use handfuls as you need it, ready for adding to indulgent macaroni cheese or melting into an indulgent cheesy dip.”
And when it comes to making the most of your freezer, Tesco has got more tricks up its sleeve. They suggest, “Freezers are the most efficient when they are full, so make the most of the space to prevent food waste and have ingredients ready to go. From milk and cheese to veg and rice, your freezer can do it all! “
Ready to slash your food waste? Here’s a list of everyday items you can pop in the freeze say goodbye to unnecessary waste!
Wine
Got a bottle of wine that you can’t finish? Pour the remaining contents into ice cube trays (or a freezer bag for larger quantities) and use as needed in your recipes. It can enhance gravy, add depth to a Bolognese with red wine, or enrich risottos with white.
Eggs
Yes, eggs can be frozen. Simply crack them into a small bowl, whisk together, then freeze in a freezer bag or individual ice cube trays. Defrost for omelettes and baking whenever required. You can also freeze just the egg whites for future meringue making.
Potatoes
If you have an excess of potatoes that might sprout before you get around to using them, peel, roughly chop and blanch until just cooked. Spread out on a tray so they’re not touching, freeze until solid, then transfer into a freezer bag. Voila, roasties ready to go!
Yoghurt
Spare yoghurt can easily be frozen at home. If you have children, insert a lolly stick into mini yoghurts and freeze for future summer snacks.
Herbs
For a quick flavour enhancement, roughly chop soft herbs, place them into ice cube trays, fill with water and freeze. When you need them, simply defrost or drop whole cubes into pasta dishes and curries.
Bananas
Peel ripe bananas and freeze either whole or sliced. These can be used directly from the freezer, perfect for making cold, thick smoothies or snacking on with these simple 3-ingredient fruit and nut bananas. Plus, frozen bananas are all you need to make this super easy banana ice cream.